Twisted
by Rikana
Summary: -SessKag- With the wish, he became the enemy. She would do anything to save him from the horrors he had unleashed upon himself, but his only salvation was death. So, with the help of Sesshomaru, she would set out to kill him - to save him from himself.
1. Transformation

No good deed goes unpunished, they say.

Her deeds were harmless, full of simple forgiveness and unending smiles. She made him whole, she filled his heart, she poured her love upon him without hesitation. She tended his wounds, she mended his broken heart. She even gave herself to him, one moonless night, and they committed the purest sin.

But alas, her punishment came from him, when she so trustingly put the completed jewel in his hands. She had asked him, as her body shook with uncontrollable sorrow and anger, how he could have done such a thing. To make this wish, to betray her, would do him no good, she had warned. But, for reasons of his own, he hadn't cared. She was so distraught that she couldn't even bring herself to subdue him, even though that was the only thing she wished to do with him. And nothing her friends said did anything, nothing that the kitsune did changed him.

With the last of her waning energy, she had yelled at them all to leave. Against their better judgment, they did so, the taijiya and monk gathering up the kitsune and fleeing the scene. Even then, she knew she would never see them again.

"I'm leaving you, InuYasha." She wished that it was the truth, "I'm leaving you and never coming back."

"No..." he knew too much about her, he knew he was in full control, "...You aren't."

And then the purifying power of the Shikon No Tama encased him, pink turning to black as the youkai inside won their battle against Midoriko with his impure wish. Tears might have fallen from her eyes, but she couldn't remember. All she did know was that she had run, cutting herself in the thorn bushes she fell into and scratching herself on the tree branches that seemed to grab her. And he had caught her in his new body, his entire being changed.

"You aren't InuYasha." She had told him through her tears, as he pinned her down to the cold ground.

"But I am." His voice was new to her, more dangerous, "And you are Kagome – the woman who so foolishly loves me."

She stared up at him, her eyes trailing over his new face. His eyes were still golden, his skin was still tan, but beneath it she could see the evil. Fangs protruded from between his lips, jagged stripes lined his cheekbones. She could feel his sharp talons digging into her arms, she could see the strength of new muscles lining his skin.

And he just smiled down at her, ignorant to her pain. From that day on, she fell silent. Any connection to him, she severed. Even now, if she muttered the simple words that tied so many memories between them, the beads lay motionless – silent and dead, never to reawaken.

* * *

**A/N: An intro, to say the least. Chapters will get longer as they go on. Reviews are more than welcome!**


	2. Memories

There was no one to save her.

She didn't blame them for not coming back around. It was smart, actually, for them to abandon her. InuYasha was no longer InuYasha. He was someone dangerous, who cared not for the memory of them, who would kill them in an instant if they got to close. And even though she yearned for them, wished that she might be able to run away to them, she fully accepted the fact that she would never see them again. They were simply a memory now – the memory of times better than now.

"Why do you hate me?" he asks one night, as they sit by the fire created by the burning pages of her school books.

"Who ever said I hate you?" she replied darkly, staring into the flames even when the heat stung her eyes.

"You did."

"Oh, yes. I did, didn't I?" she bit at her lip before she started up again, anger coursing through her, "Maybe I hate you because you betrayed me, because you took away my home."

"Your home is with me."

"My _prison_ is with you," she corrected, snapping, "My home is with my family, in the time I was born, on the other side of the well you _destroyed_!"

"The well didn't work anyway," he said, unaffected and without emotion, "The magic disappeared with the Jewel. You should be thanking me – I gave you a clean break by destroying that damned well."

"Oh, shut up," she ground out, "I'm tired of your crap."

"Get used to it," he growled, "You belong to me now."

"I don't belong to you, or to anyone else!" she yelled, standing up.

"I beg to differ, dearest." His words were coated with malice as he mocked her with an endearing term.

"InuYasha," the warning sparked some emotion in his eyes, "Oswari."

His muscles tensed and he flinched, bowing his head, but nothing happened.

She cursed and he just laughed.

"It doesn't work anymore," he told her, "so why don't you just take the damn necklace off?"

"You're a powerful youkai," she said the words with insult and hatred, "take it off yourself."

"Keh," she turned so that her back was to him, but the moment she did, he was behind her, his breath hot on her neck, "Do you wish to be rid of me, Kagome?"

She didn't answer him, just tried to take a step forward. But the moment her body began to move, his arms were around her, iron bars locking her into his chest.

"Do you wish to leave?" his hands began to wander, but immediately she flared up her powers.

In second he was blown away from her, the stench of burning skin flooding the air. He growled at her, lunging and pinning her to the ground with a single, fluid movement.

"Don't you dare..." his voice was a feral growl, but Kagome showed no fear.

She looked... _bored. _Bored with what she wasn't sure, but bored none the less. Maybe she was tired of him, of the ways he abused her, of the way he thought she was his property. Maybe she was tired of the past, bored with the destiny that had been bestowed upon her. Or maybe she was just _tired_. Tired of the way things had turned out, tired with fate, tired with life.

"I could purify you." It was an off-handed comment that she threw around a lot, "I could purify you in a second and be free of you."

"Then why don't you?" he was still growling as he challenged her, the red that had seeped into his eyes slowly fading away, his hand still crushing down on her throat as his talons dung into the earth, "Purify me and be done with it! Go and claim the freedom you desire – go ahead, do it!"

"No..." she just had to keep him talking, to calm him.

"Why not?" he asked, the whites of his eyes almost completely normal once more.

"Because, InuYasha," she almost sounded desperate, "I loved you."

"_Love._" He spat the word out angrily, but released Kagome as he stood, "Love is worthless."

"Why is it worthless?" her eyes wandered to the Tetsusaiga that still sat at his hip, the very sword that burnt him if his bare skin came to close, "You were created because of love, InuYasha. You were kept alive because of love."

He turned his back to her, "Love means nothing. It got Oyaji nowhere, it will get me nowhere."

"Love gave your Chichi-ue a son. Love gave him you."

"Love got him killed," he wasn't growling any longer, but his voice was laced with hate.

"Your Mother loved you." She was whispering, "Kikyo loved you. I loved you."

"My mother died because she loved me. Both Kikyo and I died because she loved me..." he was a changed person as a demon, a person Kagome hated, "The only thing love ever got me was the Shikon no Tama's power."

"Yes." She pulled herself up into a sitting position, drawing her legs up to her chest, "That turned out badly too, didn't it?"

He didn't answer her, just threw her last textbook into the fire.

* * *

He was graceful, even in fury. The trees he felled seemed to fall in slow motion from her spot above it all, riding upon the two headed dragon's back. She watched in awe as Jaken shook in fear beside her, amazed at how beautiful her lord really was. This was the first display of true emotion she had ever seen from him, and even though her fear was obvious, she wasn't truly afraid of him. Her Sesshomaru-sama would never hurt her.

For maybe thirty minutes, possibly longer, she and Jaken sat on the dragon's back. It wasn't until her Lord visibly returned to a calm state did she usher the dragon back to the ground, the grass and earth crunching beneath them as they landed and she jumped from the dragon's back.

"Are you feeling better, Sesshomaru-sama?" she asked with a grin.

He didn't answer her, but she wasn't offended. It was rare that she received response to her words.

"Explain to me once more," he said slowly, to the still scared imp, "what my idiot brother has done."

"InuYasha has used the power of the Shikon no Tama to turn himself full demon!" Jaken squeaked, "It is rumored that he has kept the miko with him against her will, and that his other comrades have abandoned him."

With a single flick of his wrist, Rin watched in awe as the grin whip destroyed yet another tree before it shrank back into his hand, the whole ordeal lasting maybe half of a second.

The next second he was walking away, his pace much faster than normal.

"Jaken, you will remain here, with Rin," he ordered coolly, his body arching as he jumped into the sky, taking flight, "It is time I pay my baby brother a visit."

* * *

Sometimes, when she rode on his back like this, she could forget that he was demon. She could remember the times when he was hanyo – when he was the man she loved – and lose herself in that memory. Sometimes, even, she could completely forget that there was a demon beneath her. She could make it so it became only her and the memory of a hanyo.

But then he would speak.

"What would you do," he asked once, beneath the rising morning sun, "if you got pregnant with my child?"

She grimaced, not answering him.

"Answer me," he said with a dark laugh, "Maybe I want to have a little hanyo child of my own."

"It would die inside me," she muttered, "before it even got a chance at life. My body would purify it, whether or not I wanted it to."

She expected him to be disappointed, to be depressed. But, instead he just laughed.

"There's one advantage to laying with a miko."

She hated him. Oh God, she hated him.

"You're sick, Youkai." She had stopped calling him InuYasha a long time ago.

"Say my name, Kagome," he ordered.

"That name belongs to a hanyo," she replied coldly, "I won't allow you to defile his name, Youkai."

"I'm still InuYasha," he told her, blandly, "Just a better version."

"You were fine the way you were," she whispered, "I might as well just call you Naraku now."

For her words, the next morning she awoke with bruises covering every inch of her body.

"Why do you keep me?" she asked one night, underneath the new moon.

"Because you have nowhere else to go."

"That's awful charitable of you, Saint Youkai," she mocked, "Now tell me why. A prisoner has the right to know why she has been imprisoned."

He fell silent, staring up at the moonless sky. Kagome watched him, annoyed.

"Are you going to answer me?"

Silence.

"Well?!"

He stood then, looking down at her. For a long moment, she just watched him, carefully choosing her actions. But before anything could happen, he turned on his heels and left her there, disappearing into the forest.

After an hour, he still hadn't returned. It made her nervous, knowing she was our here, alone, with no where to go. She didn't know if she should move, if she should take her chances and run.

_He would only catch me._

As if almost on cue, he reappeared from the forest.

Her eyes widened at the sight of his blood, at the view of his wounds.

"Why... why are you bleeding?"

"Humans." He said simply, sitting down, "Come here."

Against her better judgment, she did so. He was quick to grab her when she was in reach, placing her on his lap so she was straddling his hips. She felt his hands wrap around her, pulling her to him as he placed his mouth ever so close to the vein in her neck, where her pulse beat quickly.

"You never resist me..." he whispered, "...Why?"

She refused to answer him.

"Answer, Kagome," he ordered, the smallest hint of danger in his voice.

His nails dug into the tender skin of her thy, and she finally answered him.

"I... I still love you."

"You bring this upon yourself then," he chuckled, lying her down on the cold ground and pinning her beneath him.

"There's no point in resisting you, Youkai," she spit out, "All that ever causes is unnecessary pain."

"You're a smart one, aren't you?"

"Shut up." She replied, as the remaining blood from his now healed wounds dripped down on her.

"You hate me," he stated, "but you love me. You can escape easily, but you don't dare try. Love makes you torture yourself, Kagome."

"You'll hunt me if I try to escape. I have no where to run, no well to jump into and disappear in. My miko powers only go so far, and you know that."

He laughed, "Kikyo would have been able to escape. She would have had the guts to kill me."

"Kikyo never really loved you. She wanted you human because she could accept you for who you were. _I _accepted you for what you were, but I guess that wasn't enough, was it?"

"I've always wanted to be a full youkai, I told you that I would use the jewel for that purpose from the start."

"I thought you had changed." She felt like sobbing, but kept herself strong, "We all thought you had changed."

"You're all fools, then."

She was torn apart by passion then, by the way he touched her and invaded her. She wanted to call it rape, but it wasn't. She didn't resist, she didn't tell him to stop. It was just... torture.

The next morning, she was sore. She woke as the sun rose, while he still slept. Carefully, she gathered up her clothes and quietly got dressed, leaning up against a tree far away from him when she finished. Her hair was matted on her head, since she hardly ever brushed it anymore, and her clothes were tattered and torn, but it didn't matter. She just watched him sleep, with dull eyes, losing herself in a world of memories.

_Mama... _She yearned to see her family, to tell them that she wasn't dead. But the well was broken, dead and gone. She half wondered if the well on the other side was still there, or if someone would build another well in its place years from now to replace the old one.

He began to stir, and she sighed.

"Bathroom," she said to him, receiving a grunt in response.

It was really degrading, that she even had to tell him that she was going to use the bathroom so he wouldn't think she was running. It took only a minute, but as she began to walk back into the clearing where he was getting up, something took hold of her arm. She nearly screamed, but the hand that covered her mouth silenced her. In one movement she found herself turned around, the hand still over her mouth.

He put a finger to his lips, silencing her.

_Koga...!_

He smiled kindly, releasing her. She could tell that he had masked his youki, so no one could detect him, but even being this close to her was a great risk on his life.

"_I'll save you._" His lips moved to form the words, but no sound came out.

And then, with a gust of unnatural wind, he was gone.


	3. First Escape

_Power. Something I possess, something I master. My body is built from raw power, those lower than me tremble beneath it. My quest for power is over, for I have obtained all I can._

Bakusaiga swings downward, slicing through the lower youkai as if he were merely paper. Its abilities coarse through his pathetic form, disintegrating his body from the inside out.

_He was born with the power of Chichi-ue's blood, with the weakness of his mother. He is an abomination, a black mark on the family line. He was meant to stay that way._

I can hear everything. The rustle of the leaves, the sound of the beating hearts of the youkai who foolishly challenge me.Moving my center of gravity, I leap into the skies and over their heads, spinning and removing their heads from their bodies. The metallic stench of blood is welcome, this time, as crimson red stains the grass.

_Imbecile, thinking that he may change himself with impure, unstable magic._

My hate runs deep for him, as more pathetic youkai surround me, waiting for death.

"Enough of this."

A simple sweep of a blade, and they erupt in blood, falling into permanent silence on the ground. Silently, Bakusaiga returns to it's place at my hip, next to the pulsing Tenseiga.

_Silence. _

The command is ignored, and Chichi-ue's fang continues to scream.

"InuYasha..." his name is like venom, as he poisons anyone who gets entangled in his life, "You will die, for your sin."

* * *

"Take this damn sword off of me, Kagome!"

She just smirked, "No."

He glared over his shoulder, golden eyes drilling into her. But she simply turned her gaze away from him, folding her arms over her chest. He growled something incomprehensible as he continued to walk on, her footsteps only inches behind him. Being demon, he could feel every grain of sand as he stepped, he could hear ever rustle of the trees, he could smell beings who were miles away. But it all seemed useless, with Tetsusaiga screaming at him.

"How do I shut it up?!" the words had been meant for a thought, but he had spoken instead.

"I don't know," she said, "Maybe it has something to do with the fact it was mended with a fang of a hanyo, not a youkai."

"Shut up, bitch," he growled, but went no further with his insults.

The rest of their travels that day, were silent. Kagome never asked him where they were going, but she was always fed, always taken care of. Yet, the abuse was stronger than his small acts of kindness. That night, as she sat down across from him, his golden eyes bore into her. She just pulled her legs up to her chest, cradling herself, and lost herself in thought.

_Koga. _

She was afraid for him, afraid that if he tried to save her, he would get hurt. It was inevitable that if she tried to escape with him, someone would end up injured. She didn't want Koga to die, she didn't want him hurt, but she didn't want to remain here for the rest of her life. Maybe she would finally take him up on his offer, now that she had nowhere to go. She would become his mate, and she would live with him and the rest of the wolves up in the caves. The threat of Ayame's anger was much more welcome than the thought of InuYasha's fury.

But this wasn't the same threat Koga had faced before. InuYasha was stronger, more dangerous, more unpredictable. True, he may have lost use of Tetsusaiga, but his claws were almost more deadly than the sword. She had watched him as he tried out his new powers, his new abilities. She'd seen him melt trees with the black poison that seeped out of his fingers, she'd watched him turn boulders into dust with a single punch. After all this time, she had only seen him truly injured once, but it was of his own doing.

He had been curious, basing off all of his new powers by what he had seen his elder brother do. He had learned quickly what part of him was his true self, and what part was simply the human body he gave himself, and had been itching to transform, to feel what his brother could feel. But the Shikon No Tama had only changed his blood and powers, not his anatomical build up. When he had tried to unleash his true form, when he had tired to transform into his true self, he had exploded in blood and deep gashes. It had only been because of her love for him that he had survived, that she had nursed him back to health.

His body held inside a beast, but could not transform into one. Bodily, he was still hanyo, with the dog ears that marked him as one. On a blood level, a level of strength and ability, he was youkai. But that was all.

Maybe, just maybe, if Koga angered him enough, his demonic traits would take over and he would try to instinctually transform into his beast.

But her thoughts were cut short when he began to speak to her.

"If you ever try to escape, Kagome," his words were slow, as he chucked a log into the fire as if it were a pebble, "I will make you wish you were dead."

"What are you talking about?" she was truly afraid, but her voice didn't show it. If she had been found out, she was dead.

"You reek of deceit," he told her, his voice low and controlled.

Before she could even blink, he was on top of her.

"Tell me what you've been planning, bitch," his mouth was much too close to hers, "Or I'll make you wish you'd never been born."

Before she could even choke out an answer, his golden eyes grew wide in surprise. It threw her off, but in a more literal term, it was he who was thrown off. In second she found herself in warm arms, on her feet, staring at a youkai who had just managed to pull himself up to his feet.

She didn't even need to look up to know who was holding her.

"Koga..." she breathed, a sudden relief flooding over her. But the relief quickly turned to horror.

"What have you done, mutt?!" Koga growled, holding her close.

InuYasha was wiping away dirt from his face with the sleeve of his kimono, a low growl erupting from his throat.

Kagome recognized it.

"Run, Koga." She said, "Run, now."

She was surprised when he listened, his arms lifting her from the ground as he leapt into the air.

"What has he done, Kagome?"

She took a sharp intake of breath as the cold air of the night whipped through her.

"He used the Jewel to turn himself youkai."

"Idiot," Koga was visibly angry, "And I had actually hoped the rumors weren't true – believed that even dog turd wouldn't be that stupid!"

"Just keep on going..." she said, breathless, "...He's starting to come after us."

Koga just grinned down at her, "Even without the shards, I'm still faster than that mutt."

In a burst of power, in a demonstration of his words, they sped off.

* * *

My idiot baby brother, trying ever so desperately to become an equal. To do so was never his fate. He was meant to stay a mix breed, born from a powerful demon and a weak mortal. He is an idiot, a fool. Finally, he has given me a reason to kill him.

So why do I stand her, concealing my youki from him like a coward, and watch the wolf prince make off with the miko he has wrongfully imprisoned? Tenseiga screams continuously at my side, vibrating and shaking in it's sheath, and it is a true surprise that the noise it makes has not given me away yet. It seems that InuYasha hasn't honed his skill properly, yet. He might not even get a chance to, it seems, should I have my way.

No. I _will _have my way. InuYasha will die, his blood with stain my talons and palms. He will be punished for his sin, for the dishonor he has placed on this family.

I follow him, silently and undetected, as he jumps into the skies in pursuit of his miko.

* * *

**A/N: I'm just cranking out these chapters like no other, even though this story started today on a freakin' impulse!**

**...What have I gotten myself into?**

**Oh, and it's Sesshomaru's POV when it goes into first person style, if you didn't figure it out.**


	4. Battle

"Koga..." she breathed, "Koga... I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" his breath was even, but slightly labored. She could tell her spiritual powers were crushing down on him.

"For involving you in this..." she felt another burst of power burst from her palms, as she erected a barrier at the mouth of the cave to keep InuYasha out, if he by some chance found them.

"Don't worry about me," he said with a grin she could tell was forced, "A little purifying powers won't kill me."

She sighed, finishing up her job and moving to sit next to her wolf savior.

"But they can..." she muttered.

He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"Like I said, don't worry about me." He paused before he spoke again, "Now, tell me what happened with InuYasha."

She took a single, deep breath.

"We killed Naraku," memories ran wild through her mind, "And I gave him the jewel. I promised him, ever since the beginning, that I would allow him to make the wish. But, he betrayed me. He turned himself demon with the power of the jewel, and I told the others to flee. They were smart – they got out of there while they could. And he kept me as his, he destroyed the we—" she stopped short, remembering that Koga knew nothing of the well or it's powers, "—and he destroyed my family. He killed them, so I would have to stay with him."

He gave her a squeeze, "If I would have known sooner, I would have been there."

"I know you would have, Koga." She sighed, "Now, tell me what you know."

Koga thought for a moment, "...His brother, Sesshomaru..."

Her interest peaked. She hadn't given Sesshomaru a single thought in all the time she had been with InuYasha, though now she realized she probably should have.

"I was told, that when Sesshomaru found out, he destroyed nearly two forests on his own, out of anger."

A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran down Kagome's spine.

"Sesshomaru... will kill InuYasha, if he finds him, won't he?"

Koga gave her a tolerant look, "Of course he will..." he paused, taking in a deep, labored breath, "...He deserves worse than death, for what he's done."

Kagome sighed, resting her head on Koga's shoulder and closing her eyes. She was tired, oh so tired, but yet found that she could rest. This whole thing was putting her on edge, scaring her to her very core. InuYasha... He wouldn't give her up without a fight. Hell, he wouldn't give her up, despite everything that might happen. To him, she was his possession. No one took what was his away from him, even if it was such a thing as Tetsusaiga, a sword now useless to him.

"I'll keep you safe Kagome..." Koga whispered to her, as if he could read her very thoughts, "...I promise."

* * *

His fear is amusing, as he lands in the clearing. Finally, he has realized that had been followed, though by who I have not allowed him to learn just yet. Out of what can only be habit, he reaches for the sword that pulses at his side, only to emit a growl when the barrier rejects him.

He ignores the sword, turning to his surroundings to try and pinpoint his follower. But my speed is to great for him – all he can possibly make out is a swirl of scents.

"Come out here and fight, you coward!" his bravado hasn't changed since his transformation, to say the least, "Or run, and save your own life."

Oh, what a fool he has become.

"What have you done, baby brother?"

He freezes at the sound of my voice, his eyes widening. Fear rolls off of him in waves, his raw power seeping out in his aura.

"You are afraid of me."

It is strange to feel his true fear. Never before had he ever truly been afraid of me, as hanyo. Apprehensive, maybe. Angry, yes. But never afraid.

Unmasking my youki, I step out so he may see me, "Explain yourself, InuYasha."

"I..." his voice seems to fail him, but when he tries again, his overconfidence has returned, "I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you!"

"They tell me that you have turned yourself youkai with the power of the Shikon No Tama, InuYasha," I begin to circle him, to elevate his fear, "Are you truly that desperate to become my equal?"

"Like I'd ever want to be like you!"

"This Sesshomaru is youkai. You, now, are youkai." He is foolish to think that he might be able to deny the obvious, "Your idiocy has made you forfeit the only thing that keeps me form killing you."

"And what's that?!" he takes a stance, cracking his knuckles in a poor attempt to intimidate me.

"Tetsusaiga protected you from me." It's pathetic, how he doesn't realize he's given up the one gift being mortal grants, "And you've thrown away your mortality, InuYasha."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?!"

Idiot.

"How old was Chichi-ue when he died?"

"Hell if I know!" He's confused. His emotions are written across his face, allowing me to read him as if he were a book.

"Over five thousand years old, baby brother," using speed, I appear behind him, causing him to jump and leap away from me, "How old am I?"

"What the hell does this have to do with anything?"

"I am over three thousand years old, InuYasha, and I cannot die."

"The hell you can't!" he lunges, claws poised, but it is a simple task to dodge him.

"Abandoning your mortality causes you to abandon her, InuYasha."

"Who are you talking about?!" he attacks again, but it is a futile attempt.

"Your miko, the one you hold hostage."

"She doesn't have anything to do with this!"

In less than a second I have him on the ground, trapped by his neck and unable to escape my hold.

"She keeps you together, InuYasha." He is so dense, so stupid, thinking that with his simple wish he can defy his destiny, "She purifies your inner demon, keeps you sane. The moment she dies, as a mortal is bound to do, you will lose control."

"What crap are you spilling out now?!" he tries to throw a punch, but it is easily blocked.

"You were never meant to be demon, baby brother, but yet, even as hanyo, you may become one. The moment your precious little miko disappears, you will revert to the mindless blood thirsty youkai you used to become."

"You're full of shit!"

He manages to escape my hold, pulling himself to his feet on the opposite side of the clearing, in front of the cave that rests on the mountain side.

"Fight me!" his challenge is his signature on his own death warrant, "Fight me and I'll show you fucking weak you really are!"

"As you wish."

* * *

"Koga, no!"

He turned around, looking at her with pleading eyes as sweat beaded his forehead, "Kagome, let me out."

"No, Koga," Kagome pulled herself to her feet, pulling on his arm, "You can't go out there. And you can't stress yourself like this – the barrier is effecting you enough as it is!"

"I will run through it if you don't put it down, Kagome." He warned, gently pulling his arm oust of her grasp, "Please."

She sighed, defeated. If Koga ran through the barrier, he'd be lucky to escape barely alive.

"Be careful," she pleaded, as the barrier disinigrated, "Sesshomaru isn't going to like someone stepping in on his fight."

"Of course."

And then he was gone, leaving her alone at the cave's mouth, to defend for herself. She watched in horror as the two brothers lunged at each other, the battle turning into a blur of white, as Koga stood by on the sidelines, watching with caution.

She wanted Sesshomaru to win. She wanted Koga to win.

But, God, she didn't want InuYasha to die.

_You're mental, you know that?_

Kagome promptly ignored the voice in her head, trying to brush it off. She'd become a bit schizophrenic over the time she's spent with InuYasha, but found nothing wrong with it. Whenever she spoke to him, he just made her want to cry. So why not talk to herself?

The blur of white became figures as Sesshomaru rightly punched InuYasha across the face, sending the once-hanyo sprawling across the field. She watched as Koga tried to take a go at him, but Sesshomaru knocked him into the mountain side as InuYasha gathered himself up and attacked again. The blur of silver began once more.

She felt sorry for Koga, but knew he'd be alright. She had tried to stop him after all, but he hadn't wanted to listen.

_Go help him!_

No, she couldn't do that. Walking over there put her in battle range. As far as she was concerned, she hadn't been noticed yet. InuYasha was too preoccupied to notice her, let alone realize Koga was there.

Silver returned to forms once more, as InuYasha threw Sesshomaru into the air. And then he stared straight at her, his lip curling up.

_Way to go, Kagome! You jinxed yourself._

"Bitch!" he yelled at her, charging.

She cringed, covering her head.

She was going to die. Oh, fuck, he was going to kill her.

But then there was a crash of talons on metal, and she managed to bring herself to look up.

"Leave." Sesshomaru's voice was crisp and clear, and she was quick to obey.

Darting between him and out the entrance of the cave, InuYasha was blown past her, snarling. She made her way over to Koga, who was starting to twitch, stirring.

"C'mon, Koga," she knelt beside him, smacking his cheeks lightly, "Wake up."

He open his blue eyes, sitting up and shaking his head.

"Damn dogs..." he muttered as he pulled himself to his feet.

"I told you not to go in there, Koga." She sighed, "But while InuYasha's preoccupied, I'd say we should get the hell out of here."

"Fuck no, you won't!"

Kagome turned as she saw InuYasha turn his attention away from the battle, turning invisible to her eyes a second later. Before she could even blink she found Koga in front of her, shielding her, and the metallic smell of blood filled the area.

Koga made a grunting noise out of the back of his throat, pushing InuYasha away with a sickening sound, blood dripping to the ground. Kagome stared in horror where InuYasha's hand had no doubt gone straight through Koga's stomach.

"Koga!"

"Go!" Koga barked, "Get out of here. It's just a scratch."

_It's just a scratch? _Her mind echoed, _Now who used to say that about the holes in his stomach...?_

She ordered her brain to shut up, though she was well aware the action was futile and worthless.

"Koga, you can't figh—!"

_Too late._

Koga was in the fray, pushing InuYasha back away from her, as Sesshomaru advanced from the other side.

This was all going horribly. The fact that she was the cause of it all just made it all worse for her, but it didn't seem to matter to the three demons who were fighting. Apparently, now that InuYasha had injured Koga, Sesshomaru saw it fit to allow the wolf to join battle, and the previous blur of silver turned into a blur of silver, brown, black, and blood red.

It made her feel sick, seeing the blood of the people she knew and cared for. It made her disgusted, to know she couldn't change this because she was emotionally incapable of doing so. She could purify InuYasha and be done with it, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

_Kikyo could have._

Damn, why wouldn't she stop criticizing herself? She wasn't Kikyo. She didn't and couldn't do the same things as Kikyo. She had compassion, unlike the clay pot.

"Fool." Sesshomaru's words broke her out of thought, her gaze turning to see the hanyo pinned to the ground once more, the smell of burning skin filling the night air as Sesshomaru's poison burned at his brother's neck, "You think you can defeat me?"

"I know I can defeat you!" InuYasha yelled, pushing the daiyoukai off of him and rolling over and pulling himself up to his feet, charging seconds later, "Die, Sesshomaru!"

In a movement that was inhumanly graceful, Sesshomaru dodged, grabbing a hold of InuYasha's wrist as he passed, flipping the boy in the air and sending him into the ground to crush his foot down on the once-hanyo's ribcage.

"You're no better than the hanyo you used to be," InuYasha made a strangled sound as Sesshomaru applied what could only be thousands of pounds of pressure on his chest, "In fact, you may be lowlier than he."

Koga came up from behind Sesshomaru, launching himself up into the air and soaring over the daiyoukai, falling into a kick on InuYasha's face.

"I agree with dog breath over there," Koga said, stepping off of InuYasha, "You were better hanyo, idiot."

"Repeat again, what you have just addressed me as," Sesshomaru ordered, glaring at Koga.

"Heh... heheh..."

InuYasha, though, saved Koga a near death experience from Sesshomaru by taking the distraction into his advantage. He managed to take a swipe at Sesshomaru's leg, attempting to sever the limb from the daiyoukai's body, but he dodged with a small jump. Yet, with the pressure now gone, InuYasha landed an attack on Koga's side as he jumped up, sending the wolf flying. Koga hit the mountainside once again, and was promptly knocked out of consciousness.

InuYasha knew that even with Koga out of commission, he couldn't win against Sesshomaru. Stealing a quick, feral glance at Kagome, he held back a snarl. But he knew Sesshomaru would just block him, if not decapitate him, if he went for her again.

"Damn it all to hell."

Sesshomaru just watched, with a smirk, as his brother darted away in a flash of red and silver. And with his half-brother's abandonment of the fight, Kagome collapsed into a pile behind him at the mouth of the cave.


	5. Barriers

Usually, he wouldn't dare leave her in the hands of another. But, for Sesshomaru, you always made an exception if you wanted to keep your head.

"She'll be ok?" Koga was always so nervous with her, but even now it was just hard to talk due to the aching of his head.

"She will be provided with safety." Sesshomaru responded in cold tones as he referred to the unconscious woman at his feet.

"She'd better be," the wolf growled, "Or I swear I'll..."

"You'll do _what_ wolf?"

Koga glared, but left on that note. He was determined to keep his head, just so he might be able to rip InuYasha's off later.

Sesshomaru, now alone with only a unconscious miko, stared down at the woman. She reeked of his brother, from both inside and out, making his stomach tighten ever so slightly. His brother's new scent made him sick, to tell the truth, but he was sure not to let it bother him.

With a bland expression on his face, he nudged at her with his foot. She made no movement in response, leaving him to stare down at her still. The woman had fainted from something in the battle, but it had little importance to him. So, in movements much to fast and graceful to ever be appreciated by a human, he lifted up with one arm and threw her over his shoulder, not caring that he could easily impale her with the spikes on his armor.

Expelling youki from his feet, he began to rise up in the air, taking flight. With his perfect balance he need not hold on to the miko, and he let his hand drop to his side. His silver hair whipped around him as he sped passed the landscape, never stopping for anything, the moon's rays making his skin glow. He had a ways to travel to get back to his party, but the silence was welcomed. Rin was a constant annoyance that he had learned to ignore, and now she would have his brother's little woman to bother until he sent her away.

His brother...

_Imbecile._

What would his father have done in this situation, if he were still alive? Such thoughts were pointless though, for his father would never come back. He had managed, just that single time, to appear when they had sealed away So'unga, but that was the past. It would never happen again – that he was sure of.

There was a gasp below him, made by a small girl.

"Sesshomaru-sama!"

With the smallest tilt of his head he could see Rin below, peeking up through a break in the trees, her eyes sparkling with happiness. It was almost impressive that she'd managed to see him against the darkness of the night and the stars, but he didn't give it much thought. He would have been angry if Jaken had done such a thing – which he had done in the past, only to be punished – because such an act exposed their location to any demon lurking nearby. Yet, it seemed, whenever Rin did something like that, he couldn't bring himself to even chastise her.

That girl would be the death of him, a fact he knew well, but he simply didn't care.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" she cried again, as he landed on the ground beside her without the smallest sound, "Rin is happy to see you!"

Her eyes widened as she spotted Kagome on his shoulder, still unconscious and deaf to their words.

"Sesshomaru-sama..." she watched with awe-filled eyes as he deposited her on the ground with a movement so graceful he put the angels to shame, "...Why is Kagome-sama with you? Does she not travel with InuYasha-sama?"

"InuYasha has abandoned her. This Sesshomaru shall provide her safety until she is returned to her home."

"Oh..." No more was said on the matter, but Rin was quick to change the subject, unable to keep quiet, "...Jaken-sama went out to get wood for a fire, Sesshomaru-sama. Ah Un went off on his own again."

"Watch her, Rin." Sesshomaru ordered smoothly, turning his back and returning to the forest.

She smiled, snapping up into a childish salute with a great smile on her face, "Rin will, Sesshomaru-sama!"

The moment he was out of sight she knelt down, pushing at Kagome so she was lying on her back. She smiled slightly as she tended to her friend, trying to make the girl as comfortable as possible on the cold ground. It didn't take long, at all, for the woman to start stirring again.

"Kagome-sama?" Rin asked, watching the girl groan and blink, "Kagome-sama, are you awake?"

Kagome's eyes suddenly became wide and she began to scramble away, an obvious scream dying behind her lips.

"Kagome-sama, it's alright! It is just Rin!"

Kagome stared at her for a moment, her heart beating furiously, but she eventually drooped her head and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Rin-chan," she mumbled, "you frightened me."

The girl giggled softly, "It's alright, Kagome-sama. Rin is sorry."

"...Why are you here?" Kagome looked around, suddenly realizing she wasn't where she had been, "...Where am I?"

"Sesshomaru-sama brought you here, Kagome-sama," her eyes drifted as she remembered exactly what her lord had told her, "He said that he was going to make sure you were safe until you got back to your family."

"He... is going to keep me safe?"

"Yep!" the girl was smiling with childish ignorance and joy.

"Rin-chan..." Kagome began, ignoring the voice in her head telling her not to ask such a stupid question, "Did he tell you where InuYasha went."

She hated how his name made her heart burn for a person who no longer existed.

"All he said was that InuYasha-sama abandoned you," Rin's face fell, "I'm really sorry about that. But I'm sure he didn't mean it! InuYasha-sama is a good person."

_He __**was**__ a good person... _her thoughts corrected, but she didn't dare mutter a word.

* * *

Everything had been damned to hell. Everything he had ever done to get his hands on the Shikon Jewel had meant nothing. Nothing about him being youkai mattered if he couldn't beat Sesshomaru. What was the point, if he couldn't beat the one man who had hated him for being youkai all these years?

He cursed at the sword that wouldn't shut up.

That was why he couldn't beat Sesshomaru. Damn Tetsusaiga wouldn't listen to him, wouldn't let him get near with his bare skin. Sesshomaru was a pampered dog. All his life he'd been taught the proper way of the swords, the proper way to fight. InuYasha hadn't been that lucky. All he knew how to do was to stop something from biting him, eating him, or killing him. There was no grace to his attacks, there was no controlled, precise, movements. He hadn't been taught how to dodge, he hadn't been taught how to tell if someone was behind you without using your nose. Sesshomaru would always win, if he didn't learn.

But who would teach someone like _him_, the hanyo-turned-youkai?

No one, that was who.

The one thing that hadn't changed with his transformation was the discrimination. They all still hated him, they all still feared him. Except, now, he would actually kill them. Now, he could get back at them without stupid human emotions weighing him down afterwards. He could kill them silently, without them even knowing what had hit them. But it all meant nothing if he still couldn't beat Sesshomaru.

It wasn't rage or anger, or even some type of twisted want for payback that drew him after Sesshomaru. It was simply that Sesshomaru had been the key to killing Naraku. Without him, Naraku would have won if Bakusaiga hadn't been used. Being weaker than Sesshomaru was being on Naraku's level. That was simply unacceptable.

"_I might as well call you Naraku now."_

He shook away the words she had told him. He was not Naraku. Yeah, he had used the jewel for his own gain. But he had warned her that he would do it, he had given her plenty of time to prepare. He hadn't preyed on her while she slept or tried to kill her when she wasn't looking. He wasn't Naraku. He was stronger... he was smarter...

No one should have been able to get away with comparing him to Naraku in the first place! He had punished her for that, but still, it didn't seem like it was enough. She would still tell him the same things over and over. Bruises and scars didn't phase her and her damn will power. She was strong, even in hard times. She was damn defiant too.

_You used to love that about her._

"Shut up!" he growled to himself.

Apparently, Kagome had not been the only one to receive a secondary opinion to everything she did. InuYasha had been cursed with it as well, except his secondary wasn't even himself. It was the damned black haired, brown eyed human he used to know on moonless nights, cloaked in the darkness of his mind.

_As if, you fucking bastard. Just go and kill yourself – we'd both be better off that way._

Angrily, he managed to silence his human, using a tree branch as a springboard back into the sky. He needed to figure out how he could beat Sesshomaru, how he could regain his Kagome. But every time he tried to get a straight thought out, Tetsusaiga screamed louder.

And then, in the early hours of the morning, it dawned on him.

Tetsusaiga was the key.

Yeah, it had the damn barrier, but all barriers could be broken, right? The Inu No Taisho had been full youkai and had not only wielded Tetsusaiga, but he had created Tetsusaiga. What was there to say he just couldn't remove the barrier and use it for himself?

But, even that posed a problem.

The only man who knew how to remove the barrier was dead, long gone in the grave of the lost black pearl. Sesshomaru would have already removed it if he had known, so there was no way he knew. Hell, even if he did he wouldn't tell him anyways.

There was only one person left who might have the knowledge he needed.

As if he had received a gift from the Gods, his answer came to him in the smallest pinch of his skin.

"InuYasha-sama!" Myoga wasn't greeting him. His voice was laced with genuine fear, caused by the recognition of fully demonic blood.

InuYasha skidded to a halt on the ground, grabbing Myoga between his thumb and index finger.

"Well, isn't this just convenient?" InuYasha was amused at the fact that the elderly flea was about ready to piss himself, "I was going to go looking for you..."

"InuYasha-sama! Please, tell me the rumors are not true!"

"Tell me, Myoga..." a grin spread across his face, and the flea trembled violently, "...of the barrier upon Tetsusaiga that now rejects me, as well."

* * *

**A/N: I never intended these chapters to be so short, but I think that might just end up being the style of this story. Short chapters, relatively quick updates. **

**...For some reason, I hope that isn't the case. **


	6. Secrets Spilled

_Damned Flea._

InuYasha put more pressure on the flea between his thumb and forefinger, his lips curling as he watched Myoga's form become more distorted, in almost a cartoon-like way.

"Tell me..." he repeated, "...about the barrier on Tetsusaiga. I want it gone."

"Never!" the flea youkai squirmed in InuYasha's iron grip, "You are undeserving of Tetsusaiga!"

"I am, am I?" the words came out as a growl, "And who is it that decided that? Oyaji left me the sword. I should be able to do whatever I want with it."

"Inu No Taisho left the sword for his _hanyo_ son!"

"What's the difference? He's dead now and there's no one to stop me!" InuYasha growled, pushing down more pressure, "Now tell me how to get this damn barrier off or I'll kill you!"

"I know nothing of the barrier!" Myoga yelled, "I was never informed that there was a barrier to prevent Sesshomaru until you gained Tetsusaiga, so many moons ago!"

"Then who would? Who would Oyaji tell?!"

"Izayoi-sama, possibly! But she's long dead now, so your quest is pointless!"

InuYasha's infamous short temper was reaching it's end, as was his patience.

"I'm not stupid, Myoga. Tell me what I want to know, _now_." The last word came out in a feral growl, "Would Totosai know?"

"No! He was only the creator of the swords, and not even a direct servant to your honorable Chichi-ue!"

"Then who!?"

"He died with his secrets, InuYasha," Myoga said, his usual fear absent, "And maybe that was for the best."

"Shut up!"

With a final squeeze of his fingers, Myoga was silenced. The human in his head laughed.

_Can't even kill a damn flea, can you? I thought you were a powerful youkai!_

"I don't have to explain myself," InuYasha muttered to himself as he stuffed the unconscious Myoga into the long folds of his sleeve, "if he's dead he won't be able to tell me where I need to go. He's hiding something."

_You're talking to yourself now. _

He ignored the comment, falling to the ground in a single, controlled movement to sit, legs folded over another.

_Haha-ue... _the word floated around in his head for a moment, and a sigh slipped through his lips.

Would she still love him, even now? She'd loved a demon, she'd loved him, as a hanyo. But could she really love, or even forgive, a person who'd discarded the memory and blood of her?

Abruptly, he pushed the thoughts out of his head. Youkai weren't supposed to feel emotion, not like that. It was unbecoming of him and his new blood. A disgrace. All he needed to worry about now was how to remove the barrier from Tetsusaiga and how to get Kagome back. Those were his only focuses, his only goals. Thoughts of his mother could wait, if not only for a day.

...Wait. Maybe thoughts of his Mother did do good.

_That's it! _The puzzle pieces clicked into his head automatically, as the memory of his mother was left him with an answer.

If his father had told his mother of the barrier, there was also another chance that he had told another woman close to him. Sesshomaru's mother, his first mate, the woman who bore him his first heir. She would know. She would know all of his father's secrets and weaknesses, all of his half-brother's shortcomings. Sesshomaru's mother, the past mate of the Inu No Taisho, was the key to all of this.

Now he was faced only with a single problem: Where the hell was she?!

* * *

"Kagome-sama!"

"Please, Rin," Kagome asked kindly, pushing herself up into a sitting position as the sun woke her up, "You don't need to add any formalities. I'm just Kagome."

The girl looked slightly confused for a moment.

"Kagome-chan?" she asked, her head tilting slightly to the side.

_Oh yeah. They do things differently here, then in my time. How can I forget that?_

"Alright, Rin-chan," she gave the young girl a smile, ignoring the pain in her heart at the thought of her home and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Rin giggled, and then stood up, walking over to a small fire that had been set up.

"Are you hungry, Kagome-chan?" she asked politely, motioning towards the pair of fish setting near the fire, ready to be cooked, "Rin caught some fish this morning!"

"I am, Rin-chan," it would have been rude to refuse the food, "Thank you very much."

The young girl smiled brilliantly, beginning to cook and chatter away at an amazing speed.

"Rin-chan," Kagome asked, using the advantage of a pause in the girl's ramblings, "Where is Sesshomaru?"

"Sesshomaru-sama hasn't been back since he left you here last night. He didn't say where he was going this time."

"...When do you think he will return?"

"Soon." Kagome had a feeling that the girl knew, but wasn't at liberty to say anything, "He usually comes back before three nights."

"...Oh."

"Why did he bring you, Kagome-chan? Did something happen to InuYasha-sama?"

She cringed away at his name, "Yes. I can't stay with him right now."

"What happened, Kagome-chan?"

"He..." Should she really tell a girl so young of the horrors she had faced? "...He is having a hard time right now, with things. It's better that I am not around him."

"I hope he gets better soon..." Rin commented with a small smile, but her attention was turned away as a rustle in the bushes came from the surrounding trees, "Jaken-sama, is that you!?"

"Rin, you stupid girl!" the green toad-like creature squawked as he walked into their campsite, waving his staff around, "How dare you fraternize with InuYasha's wench without Sesshomaru-sama present!" his large eyes turned on her, "You, you worthless mortal, return to your disgrace of a demon! You are not welcome here! Run, with your life, for Sesshomaru-sama will take it if he finds you her—!"

Without warning, the imp fell down on the ground with a large crack, falling to his face with a pained expression.

"Ah-Un!" Rin exclaimed, smiling as the two headed dragon examined the imp he had just, accidentally, crushed with his foot.

The dragon looked up at Rin, momentarily, and then folded up on the ground and rest his heads on the ground, dozing off. Rin giggled, handing Kagome one of the now roasted fish.

"Now all we need is for Sesshomaru-sama to arrive—," the girl looked up, a radiant smile gracing her features, "Sesshomaru-sama!"

"Calm yourself, Rin." A chill ran down Kagome's spine as he spoke, his attention obviously directed upon her as he spoke his next words, "Miko, stand. This Sesshomaru wishes to speak with you."

Kagome, though a bit reluctantly, stood. Rin smiled at her and waved as she turned, her eyes settling on the form of the Great Daiyoukai. He was emotionless as always as he turned on his heel, walking into the surrounding trees once more. She knew she was supposed to follow, but her legs seemed to not work.

"There is nothing to fear." His words were the cure.

And then her legs began working again, as her mind became clouded. She couldn't believe that she was actually afraid. Afraid of someone who she had never recognized as a threat, afraid of someone who had helped her on occasion, afraid of the man she had thought would one day become a brother-in-law to her.

_He screwed with you, Kagome, _her mind told her, _You only afraid of Sesshomaru because you're afraid of InuYasha._

That was definitely a truth Kagome knew, but didn't want to admit.

And then she found herself standing face to face with the daiyoukai, his golden eyes reflecting the morning sun that broke through the tree branches in such a mesmerizing way.

His smooth voice broke the illusion, if only a little, "Explain to this Sesshomaru the story of the hanyo's transformation."

And, for some reason, she spilled her heart out. She told him the story, from start to end, holding back her tears and trying to subdue her pain as she explained in great detail the trails InuYasha had forced upon her. She even explained her pain, her own hell to him. And he just watched, and listened, without response. For the first time she let it all out, didn't care that she was crying in front of someone, let alone Sesshomaru. She gave away the secrets she had built up over the half a year she'd been trapped here, in this time, but kept her deepest secrets locked away still. She just freed herself, in a way, from the burden she bore because of InuYasha. And Sesshomaru, damn, he was a great listener. She was grateful for his lack of emotion, for his silence. He didn't stop her, he didn't pause her in her story, he just soaked her words up without hesitation.

For those moments, he was her savior.

* * *

**My 9/11 update. I salute those who lost their lives and those who deal with the greif of losing a loved one in the attacks.  
**


	7. Mother's Knowledge

Flying.

He fucking hated flying!

Wobbling in the air once more, InuYasha concentrated more youki at his feet. As a hanyo, his youki had been used only rarely, and most of the time he wasn't conscious he was doing it. But now, as a youkai, his youki was essential to use almost all of his abilities. Never before in his life had he ever tried to control or concentrate his youki, and when he was thousands of feet up in the air with nothing below him, it wasn't the most calming of first tries. But, he pushed forward, since flying over millions of miles of land was the most efficient way, in his mind, to find the woman he was looking for. Considering, of course, she were still alive.

He cursed once more as unexpected gusts of wind blew past him, causing him to call a couple feet in the air before he managed to steady himself. He was at a complete loss at why Sesshomaru would even do something like this, but it didn't matter much to him. His attention was more directed to separating the scents on the wind and using his eagle eyes to scour the land below. So far, he'd come up with nothing.

And for hours he would continue his travels in the air, falling feet and wobbling with his inexperience in his powers, constantly cursing at himself and killing the innocent birds that passed him by out of frustration. Not until the sun began it's decent from the sky did something, finally, happen. Yet, unfortunately for him, that happening was an arrow nearly hitting him between the eyes.

_What the...?!_

He dodged yet another arrow that was aimed at him, still uncertain with his movements in the sky. He was fully aware he was at a huge disadvantage, and against his usual actions he hastily began a decent from the skies. But his efforts were futile, as an arrow managed to shoot strait through his palm.

"Fuck it!" he tried to make a pull at the arrow with his other hand to free himself, but soon noticed that this certain arrow had a rope attached to one end.

And, with a strong tug, he was soaring through the air, forgetting completely to expel the youki from his feet and being dragged along by the sheer strength of the pull. Cursing loudly as he saw that he was indeed falling, he took hold of the unusually strong arrow, beginning his swing downward. Myoga, now awake and inside the folds of his sleeves, began to scream, unable to escape his confinement.

The poor man who had shot the arrow had met his end when he'd pulled InuYasha up and onto the floors.

"What the hell is this?!" InuYasha yelled, staring at the large castle that surrounded him and fighting off the guards that were trying to frantically restrain him.

Throwing a punch, he took a quick look at his surroundings. This place was major, with guards and all, apparently. Flipping over one of his attackers and shoving his hand through the man's back to feel at the nothingness on the other side of the torso, he managed to catch a glimpse of the large staircase leading to a throne at the entrance to the palace. When deflecting a sword's blade with the strength of his robe of the fire rat, he finally caught scent of the area.

A snarl escaped his throat as he recognized the inuyoukai blood.

With a final punch the last of the guards lay unconscious at his feet, other living and dead bodies strewn around him in a heap. Hastily, InuYasha jumped over them to land on the first set of stairs, running up to the top in a second flat.

He was met with a sidelong glance from golden eyes, so much like his own, as the woman seated on the throne didn't even turn her head to look at him.

"Are you who I think you are, intruder?" she asked, quietly and smoothly, a small smile on her red painted lips.

"Intruder!?" the adrenaline was still pulsing through his system, "You're fucking guards shot at me!"

"Hmm..." she found the information unimportant, which pissed him off even more, "Tell me, child, what you do here in my House."

"I'm no child!" he fumed angrily, as he pulled the arrow out of his hand.

She spread herself out on her throne, a same small mocking smile gracing her lips. And then, as she turned her head to face him, he realized who he was talking to. She had a crescent moon placed in the middle of her forehead, a single set of stripes lining her cheekbones, like he. This was Sesshomaru's Haha-ue, the first mate of his father, the Inu No Taisho.

_Well hell, talk about dumb luck. _His human commented dryly, but went ignored.

"You!"

A single, perfectly shape eyebrow rose on her face, "Me? Do you know who I am?"

"You're _his_—"

"Who?" she asked, cutting him off and silencing him with a single glance into his eyes, "Sesshomaru? Yes, I am his Haha-ue. And am I to assume you are the infamous hanyo my mate so disgracefully produced and died protecting?"

"My name is InuYasha!" he snapped, "And I'm no hanyo."

For a second, she was quiet, obviously determining his scent as her nose lifted ever so slightly up into the air. And then, to his surprise, her smile widened.

"So, the rumors were true." She gathered herself up then, standing and facing him, his height over her nothing in comparison to the power she held over him, "My mate's little bastard did end up using that Jewel to turn himself full demon... Tell me one thing, child. Did it hurt?"

"'the fuck?!" InuYasha was bewildered with the way this woman was reacting to him, "What the hell type of question is that?!"

She sighed, waving one of her hands at the emptiness in the air, "Nothing, nothing. Just curious of the transformation. You and Sesshomaru are alike, never appreciating the small details in life."

"Don't compare me to him."

"Oh, my dear hanyo," she said sweetly, "I can compare you to whomever I wish, especially a man I birthed from my very womb. Now, tell me, why are you here?"

He watched as her eyes traveled to Tetsusaiga, which was rattling rather loudly in its scabbard, "The fucking sword."

She looked disappointed, sitting back down upon her throne with a exasperated sigh, leaning over the single armrest and throwing her legs onto the remainder of the long throne, "You men and your swords! Can't a mother get a visit from her son – or even her mate's bastard son – just because they wish to see of her health!?"

"Stop babbling and tell me what I need to know!"

"I don't have to say a thing to you, hanyo," she snapped, suddenly becoming much more serious as she call him of his past breed with the venom of a snake, "You are lucky I do not dispose of you, and your filthy stain of my Great Family's bloodline, at this very instant."

"Bring it!" he challenged angrily, with a snarl, "Your pampered puppy of a son has been trying to for years and hasn't even gotten close!"

"What do you wish of me then, hanyo?!" She demanded, "Are you challenging me for the lands and possessions of your father, which my dear son hasn't yet managed to steal back from me? Will you subject yourself to such a dishonoring defeat?!"

He snarled, grabbing Tetsusaiga and throwing it at her, burns that wouldn't heal for days appearing on his hand at the slightest contact. She grabbed it gracefully, her touch not causing any sort of reaction.

"What do you want me to do with it?" she asked, staring up at him, her recent anger turning into a sort of innocent curiosity.

He was dumbfounded, "Why... why aren't you getting rejected?"

She rolled her eyes, "Who do you think put the barrier on it? It was definitely not your dear Chichi-ue. All he knew was how to swing a sword!"

Jackpot. "Then you do know about the barrier!"

"Of course, hanyo."

"Tell me how to fucking remove it!" he ordered, not noticing the look she gave him in response as she set the sword down beside her, "I want it gone! You know how to remove it, I know you fucking do!"

"Maybe..." she said thoughtfully, resting her cheek on her palm, "But why would you wish to know how to remove a barrier that was set up to protect you?"

"I don't need any fucking protection! I can damn well take care of myself!"

"Oh, you can, can you?" her gaze drifted away from him, as she studied the clouds that floated over the grounds of her sky-castle, "Tell me, hanyo, if you can take care of yourself, why would you come to me – risking that I might have you killed – to remove a barrier of a sword that is useless to you?"

He froze, but it didn't take long for him to return to normal, "I don't need to explain myself to you."

"What will you use Tetsusaiga for, if I were to remove the barrier?"

"To kill Sesshomaru. To kill any idiot who gets in my way."

In the single second that passed after the last word left his mouth, he found that she was standing in front of him again, his skin searing with the burning pain of the poison she'd injected into the scratches she had caused with her back-handed slap across his face.

"Bitch!" he could feel his anger flooding his senses, the want to kill becoming stronger.

And she just laughed, sitting back down, heightening the emotions that were rushing through him.

"'Without the purifying powers of Tetsusaiga, my hanyo son will die.'" She quoted, distracting his anger, "My mate told me that, on the night his little mistress told him he had impregnated her. He hadn't yet made Tetsusaiga at that point, nor Tenseiga, but he was setting off to. Did you know, little hanyo, that he also told your brother..." her hand moved to grab at the necklace she wore, a sigh slipping through her lips, "...oh, telling you would be a waste of time, would it not? Men don't understand the beauty of things like that."

"What shit are you spewing out now, wench?" InuYasha asked, his anger fading away quickly.

"I'm simply saying that you were never meant to be youkai, and that Tetsusaiga was made to keep your demonic blood at bay, to keep you from killing yourself." She picked the sword back up, twirling it between her fingers, "And yet you so willingly discard its sole purpose and power... You do realize now, hanyo, that the powers of Tetsusaiga no longer aid you?"

"I'm no damn hanyo, wench!" InuYasha snarled, tired of being referred to in that way, "And I really don't give a shit! Just take the damn barrier off!"

"I warn you, before I do this, that it will be your end." Her words were slow, filled with a strange knowledge, "Once she is gone, the only one that can purify your evil, you will perish with her."

"Stop it with that shit. Just take the damn barrier off."

A small smile graced her red lips, her stripes becoming a bit larger and a bit more jagged as Tetsusaiga began to scream in her hands, a visible membrane of magic surrounding the scabbard and sword.

"Good luck, my dear son," she said, in a joking and almost mocking manner as the membrane exploded, Tetsusaiga finally falling silent.

* * *

"Tell me, miko," Sesshomaru said, putting a cease to Rin's chatter, "where do your other comrades now reside?"

Strings pulled at her already heavy heart with the thought of them, "I don't know. I haven't seen them or heard from them since they left. I can't return to them anyways, I won't put them in danger."

"But, Kagome-chan, aren't you returning to your family?" Rin inquired, "Your family has probably been missing you."

"No, Rin," she said with a sad smile, "I can't return to them."

Kagome had told Sesshomaru that InuYasha had killed her family, and while it was obvious that Sesshomaru probably hadn't believed her, he hadn't questioned her further. It was her story, and she was sticking to it.

"Why?"

"Rin, do not further question the miko of her personal affairs," Sesshomaru ordered, and the small child automatically listened, attempting to change the subject. But it wasn't long before Sesshomaru spoke once more, halting the party.

"We camp here tonight," he said, seating himself at the base of a tree, "In the nearby lake, Rin, you and the miko shall bathe."

Kagome noted that they had at least a few more hours of light left before the sun were to set, but didn't question him.

"Alright, Sesshomaru-sama!" the young girl chirped, grabbing at Kagome's hand, "C'mon, Kagome-chan!"

With a small smile the woman followed the girl who continued to drag her down a path that only Rin seemed to know, until they broke into a clearing where a great lake lay.

_The water's going to be cold... _she thought, warily glancing at the waters.

_At least he's letting you bathe. _Her mind commented, and she accepted the fact. It was rare that InuYasha had ever let her bathe more than once every two weeks, despite his sensitive nose. He had known it was something she had liked doing, and had used it as a bargaining chip on many occasions. And at least Sesshomaru wasn't taking her clothes so she wouldn't run off while he wasn't looking, like InuYasha had always done.

Rin stripped quickly, cannon-balling into the lake from a nearby ledge that jutted out above deeper waters. Kagome, not being quite as out going, stripped slowly, eventually walking into the lake's depths as quickly as she could manage.

"Kagome-chan," Rin called out, "If you just dunk in and get it over with, the water isn't as cold!"

Kagome smiled, but didn't follow those instructions. She'd been drenched in cold water too many times, and she wasn't looking forward to the times she would be once more.

Rin played on her own, while she simply stood in the water, watching the waves roll around her. She lost herself in memory, thinking about the woman she used to bathe with, thinking about the kit that used to jump into the water with her and splash the hot waters of the hot springs on her face. She could hear the slap of hand on cheek as if Sango were sitting beside her, twisted around as her hand was still held up in the air, inches away from a lecherous monk's face.

She laughed, but it sounded like she was weeping.

Would it be better, if she couldn't remember them at all? Or, would it be better, if she had never known _him_ at all? If she hadn't met him, if she hadn't released him in a desperate attempt to save herself, if she hadn't shared so many moments with him when she had thought her loved her. Would things really be better, if she had never fallen down a dark well that had swallowed her up so willingly?

Pushing sad thoughts away, she knelt down into the water, submerging herself. The cold bit at her for a moment, but she was quick to resurface. Cold water once again cascaded over her when a small girl splashed her.

And there, the war began, full of smiles and laughs. But soon it came to its end, as both child and miko climbed ran up and out of the water, drying themselves and redressing with little haste. Kagome watched in amazement as Rin chatted without end about her lord, telling her of the great things he had done and the different times he had saved her. It was overwhelming, in a way, to hear of a different side of Sesshomaru. It almost seemed, that maybe, there was a single, small shred of humanity under it. But she knew that wasn't true – Sesshomaru was youkai, and while he could feel emotion, it was on no level near that of a human's. It made her feel somewhat sorry for him, but she didn't give it much thought. Sesshomaru would be Sesshomaru and nothing she could do could change that.

"Kagome-chan..." Rin was a bit quieter now, as the fire of a campsite could be seen in the nearby distance, "...Do you miss your family?"

Kagome smiled sadly, "Yes, I do. Every day."

"Rin does to..." Kagome could almost see the rain cloud over the girl's head, "...But Rin can't go see them one day, like you will be able to."

"Why not, Rin-chan?"

"My brothers and my parents were killed... by bandits." The girl seemed to quite for someone of her youth, "Rin had to live on my own, for a while."

"...But then what is Sesshomaru to you, Rin?"

The young girl brightened up, if only for a second, as she thought. But, eventually, she just looked up in curiosity at Kagome, unable to answer the question.

"Sesshomaru is your new family now, isn't he?"

"Yes!" Rin exclaimed, happiness returned, "He takes care of me and keeps me safe, like Otou-san used to!"

"Then what is there to be sad about?"

She smiled widely, "Thank you, Kagome-neesan."


	8. Fallen Leader

The world had become surreal, cloaked in a fog he didn't understand. All he knew was the single pattern he'd fallen into as he ran – towards what, he didn't know, but he just kept running.

Trip. Stumble. Fall. Rise. Run.

Trip. Stumble. Fall. Rise. Run.

Trip. Stumble. Fall. Rise. _Run, run_, _run...!_

Why was he running again? Why was he afraid?

"_Get back here!"_ he could barely hear the distorted, slurring voice, but it made his heart pick up, it made him run even faster.

Oh, yes, now he remembered. He was running from danger. He was running for his life. He was hoping he might make it home, to return to his sons, and to evade the blade the hanyo-now-youkai wielded to take his life.

The trees that blurred in and out of his vision opened up to a clearing and a mountain side, and a relief washed over the wolf youkai. He was almost home, almost in safety's arms...

"Idiot."

In that second he was in a holocaust of pain, as limb detached from body with a sweep of that powerful blade. Blood spilled, pooling on the ground in splattering designs. In a purely instinctual action he swung himself around, raising his leg high into the air and kicking... contact. The silver haired youkai was forced to skid back with the power of his attack, one which his opponent obviously hadn't been expecting, and he jumped up into the air clutching at the stump of his wrist, red life flowing over his fingers. In just a few bounds he could see it, the entrance to his home, the place where he wouldn't have to feel pain. Just one more bound, one more jump, one last step...

And then there was a sound he didn't quite recognize, coming from the inside of his neck, almost as if someone was snapping a piece of wood. The pain came immediately, and not a second later came the darkness.

"_Stupid wolf."_ Those were the last words that reached his ears before he became to far to reach, the echoing growl of his murderer etched in the last living seconds.

* * *

The wolves were in shock, watching as their comrades head rolled to the ground, unable to react immediately. InuYasha just smirked, wiping the blood off of his blade.

_Tetsusiaga..._ he looked around at the wolves, who were being rather damn slow in their reaction, using his nose to sort through their scents.

And then, golden eyes fell on blue.

"...Koga." he said smoothly in an unusual calm, holding Tetsusaiga ready, "Give me Kagome and maybe I'll kill all of you quickly."

Shocked blue turned into absolute fury. He wasn't frightened, or even taken aback. He was rather amused, actually, at the emotions the wolves showed for one another. If it hadn't been enough that Kagura had slaughtered most of them already...

"You bastard!"

Metal clashed against metal as the usually dormant Goraishi sprung from beneath Koga's skin, raking against Tetsusaiga's edge. With a simple push, InuYasha sent the wolf back, a fanged smirk painted across his face.

"Fine then," he said, "I'll massacre the lot of you and take Kagome back," he began to gauge Koga's reaction, and decided to push him just a bit farther, "And once we're far away, I'll punish her – fuck her senseless, too."

The blue eyes were turning darker, more deadly, as Koga charged again, InuYasha meeting him halfway.

"She's not here!" the wolf managed to growl out, taking a swipe at InuYasha's face, "And I'm going to fucking kill you!"

His calm turned to anger, as it usually did, "What the fuck do you mean, she's not here!"

He swung Tetsusaiga downward, grazing the wolf's arm and spilling blood, but Koga seemed unaffected.

"Like I'm going to tell you!"

With a misjudged attack, InuYasha's cheek was spilt open under the talon's of Koga's weapons, splitting open the markings on his face.

"Fine then..." he could feel the blood pounding beneath his skin, how his eyes burned as the red seeped in, "...I'll just have to kill you, and your pack."

"Try it!"

And the battle raged, seemingly without end, each wolf who tried to help his master thrown away by both members of the brawl. Blood flew every where, falling on the ground like raindrops, and cries of anger were exchanged in tones that would scare the very strongest man in the world to his core. Words of battle, of hate, and of vengeance were spoken in languages that were more instinctual growls than true phrases, and both men became servants to the deepest instincts they carried within them.

But then there was the cut, the pain that flew through the wolf, as Koga crumpled to the ground. He felt the blood pump out of him, flowing onto the ground, and saw his own leg fall many feet away from him.

Defeat was inevitable.

"Stupid wolf..." InuYasha towered over him, shielding him from the sun as his shadow was cast down upon the bleeding prince, "...I told you I'd kill you one day, but you always thought I was just some worthless hanyo. You tried to take _my_ woman, you tried to take _my_ jewel. How does it feel now, to know you'll die because you pissed me off one to many times?"

With a downward thrust, the blade was shoved into his chest, and Koga began to cough up blood. The wolves that tried to save their leader were killed on the spot, by only the claws of a man he had once considered an ally, of sorts.

"Die, Koga," he removed Tetsusaiga slowly, painfully, and held it just above his neck, "And rot in hell."

He blinked. Approximately, with the time it would take InuYasha to raise the blade and swing it down, he had less than five seconds.

Four, now.

"Listen up, wolves!"

Three...

"Kagome gets it all!"

Two...

"All of it, dammit, and don't you dare try and take it from her!"

One...

The blade hit, and blood spilled from the skin of his soft neck. There was a flicker of pain, of excruciating burning, but then the fire was extinguished. For a moment, Koga floated through the darkness, but the next he was gone.

Dead to the world, and far out of reach of the living.

And his murderer just scoffed, not understanding the wolves last words, and turned to the rest of the pack. He massacred, he slaughtered, he murdered. Blood stained the grass and the rocks, battle cries filled the air, but no one could stand up to him. InuYasha was the son of the Inu No Taisho, a brother of the daiyoukai Sesshomaru and daiyoukai himself, and he wielded the only blade that could never be beaten.

But, by some stroke of luck, another dying wolf escaped, running for his life, for his fallen leader. InuYasha just brushed it off, ignoring the now one-armed wolf, knowing he would bleed out and die in the wilderness, his corpse left for the dogs to eat.

Now, it was time to find Kagome, and nothing else could invade the youkai's mind.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to Nobody, Fluffy Lady (FL), and cjflutterbye from the chatroom for helping me out with this chapter - I couldn't have done it without you!**


	9. Heir

Schizophrenia. Depression. Insomnia. Because of him, she suffered all these things, and yet she couldn't find it in her heart to hate him. He had been the cause of her pain, and still she couldn't even fall _out_ of love with him. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't. It would shatter her already broken heart to try and let him go, it seemed, as if he was the only one keeping her tethered to this world. There had been so many nights they'd spent together, so many times he'd protected her, so many words they had exchanged... To let go of him was to forget all of that, wasn't it? She would have to forget how she fell in love, of how she loved him, of how she _still_ loved him.

_You'll also be able to forget him, as a demon. _

The wind blew past, whipping her curtain of black hair around her face and stinging at her eyes. Lifting a shaking hand, she pushed her hair behind her ears, a sigh slipping passed her dry, chapped lips. Feeling utterly defeated, she leaned back against a tree, slumping to the cold ground. She looked up at the distant moon above her, shining down upon her in its crescent form, the stars scattered around it.

"You do not sleep." She didn't jump at the sound of his voice, just turned her head towards him.

"Not usually..." her voice was soft and quiet, as she was careful not to disturb the young girl sleeping not far away from her, or the imp and two-headed dragon, "...I just can't seem to fall asleep, now."

He didn't respond, his head moving ever so slightly as he turned his own golden eyes up to the skies. In that moment, Kagome found herself entranced, simply by the sight of him. Sesshomaru had such a beauty, a dangerous, deadly beauty, that threatened to engulf anyone who was around him. He was the perfect predator – strong, indestructible, intelligent... And she was the perfect prey.

_The perfect prey... _she thought to herself, blandly, _...The perfect predator._

And then her mind altered what she saw, twisting and deforming Sesshomaru. And then there was InuYasha, where Sesshomaru had once been, glaring at her. The spell lasted only a second, and once she blinked, he was gone, leaving behind only reality.

"He haunts you." It wasn't a question, it was a fact.

"Yes." Her voice was distant, hollow.

She thought he might say something more, but they were interrupted. The oncoming youki descended fast, and Sesshomaru was on his feet in a second, Bakusaiga's blade glinting as Sesshomaru readied it to be drawn, only the uppermost part of the metal exposed to the night. Kagome could feel Sesshomaru push his own youki out into the night, as a warning, his raw power snapping and cracking in the air, but she was more surprised when the oncoming demon did not defer in his course.

In a split second, a man burst forth from the trees. She heard the song of metal as Sesshomaru drew his sword from its scabbards, but before he could attack the intruder threw himself at Kagome's feet, in an awkward bow in front of her.

"Onee-sama..."

She could tell Sesshomaru's blade was already swinging downward, towards the man, both his and his sword's raw power nearly overwhelming her miko senses. Without hesitation, or a rational thought, she threw herself on top of the youkai in front of her, sending them both to the ground. After a long, crushingly silent moment, when no attack came, she looked up.

The blade of a sword was hesitating only inches away from the back of her neck.

"Sesshomaru," her voice was stricken with horror, chocked and strangled by her emotions, "He's one of Koga's wolves."

For a single, crushing moment, Kagome met eyes with Sesshomaru. There was no emotion there, as always, but she caught something within their depths. A slight change in color, in feeling...

_He's... shocked, _her mind said, in just of a surprise as she was to see this, ... _frustrated._

And then the moment was over, only a blur of seconds and memory, and Bakusaiga was back in it's spot at his hip.

"Get up." He said, his voice colder than before.

Carefully, she removed herself from the wolf, helping him as he struggled to get up. Her eyes were automatically drawn to the wound on his shoulder, the crusting, oozing stump of a shoulder that blood still managed to seep out of. She could see the infection that was eating him away, his skin around the wound a stop-light red and blotched with black and green.

"You are dying." Sesshomaru said, "Why have you come here?"

"My leader..." as he spoke, Kagome watched lines of red blood seep from the cuts on his lips and drip from the corners of his mouth, "...Has fallen."

At first, Kagome didn't understand the man's words. She wasn't given time to think, either, as he turned towards her, taking hold of her hands, his skin much too cold against her warmth.

"He entrusted his lands to you, Kagome-sama, upon his death."

And then reality settled, "Koga... is dead?" she murmured, eyes wide.

"Yes, Onee-sama." He coughed then, bringing his hand up to catch the sprays of blood that were being forced up from his lungs, "We were attacked, and he fell."

"Who...?" she could barely speak, as the tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Inu—" a sudden convulsion shook his body then, stopping his speech as he closed his eyes in pain, but he managed to choke out the response, "—InuYasha."

With that, she lost the will to speak.

She had known, all along, that InuYasha wouldn't see the people he had accepted as allies before the same after his transformation. She had never been surprised when he would insult them, or threaten them, but this... This, she had never expected. It was stupid, she realized, to think he wouldn't try and kill them. Hell, he'd try to go after Koga when he'd been hanyo. Now... now he had nothing to hold him back against Koga. He didn't care what she thought, what she would do, and he wouldn't feel guilt for killing the wolf.

"He was looking for you, Onee-sama," the wolf said, his voice hollow and broken, "...He killed... everyone."

_They died... because of me?_

"Oh my god..." her hands slid out of his and she buried her face in her palms, her world crash down around her.

And then, in that moment, the wolf was racked with a series of violent convulsions, as if something were eating him from the inside out. He fought it, for a few seconds, but then the world fell deathly still as he collapsed on his side, death encasing him.

Sesshomaru's eyes didn't move from Kagome, as she cried, and he moved not a single muscle to comfort her. His fingers twitched – instinctively – and he made a conscious effort to hold the poison back from dripping from his talons. He was... emotional, right now.

"Be here," his words were low and controlled, but she just barely managed to hear the strain on his voice, "when I return."

* * *

"It's alright, love," he murmured to her, holding her close in his arms, "It's alright..."

The tears streamed down her face, burning hot trails of liquid down her cold cheeks, and the clutched the fabric of her monk's sleeping clothes.

"No, no," she sobbed, "It's not alright! W–We left her there, all alone, with _him_!"

He began to rock her back in forth in his hold, positioning her so that she was held across her chest as he whispered words of comfort to her.

"Kagome is a strong woman," he told her, his voice barely audible, "She is fine."

"But... Miroku..." she was tired of the nightmares, of seeing her friend die over and over at the hands of someone she had thought of as a friend, "...We abandoned her... What if he... if he...?"

"Shh, my dearest," he said to her, quietly, "He wouldn't kill her."

"How do you know!" she screamed suddenly, "We abandoned her and didn't even try and save her from him! What if she needs our help!?"

"Sango, dearest..."

She was haunted by these dreams, so often, and it haunted him as well. When Kagome had told them to run, initially, they had resisted. But then, InuYasha had snarled. An angry, dangerous, sound coming from the back of his throat, holding a threat. A true threat. And then he had dragged – yes, _dragged_ – Sango away from the miko and hanyo and put her up on Kirara's back, and held her back as they fled. He knew she still held that against him, and he knew it, but he had no choice back then. InuYasha would have _killed _them, if he hadn't run. He'd acted to save his love, his only, and the small kitsune who had just managed to scramble onto his shoulders.

Picking the demon slayer up in his arms, he brought himself to his feet, exiting their home to sit with her outside underneath the stars of the night sky.

"...Do you think... she managed to escape, back to her time?" she was calmer now, past the hysterics of the nightmare he had woken her from.

"She may have," Miroku comforted, as she rested against his chest.

"Would she forgive us?"

"She was the one who told us to leave," he reminded her, "She was the one who wanted us to be safe."

"InuYasha..." saying his name made the world seem surreal, almost as if he hadn't betrayed them, "...Would he hurt her?"

"No." he was lying, straight out. But he couldn't tell her what he really thought, what he really feared.

That growl, the snarl InuYasha had directed at them the last time they had seen him, still haunted him. It had been the sign he wished he had never seen, the sign that InuYasha had _no control._ He had always wondered, morbidly, what would happen if InuYasha had turned demon with the power of the Jewel. He'd come face to face with it, and wished he could have died right there.

But then, suddenly, an invisible force crushed down on him. Youki was crushing down on him from all sides, suffocating him. But with quick, even breaths, he was normal. It was simple, to ignore the pressure, like he had so many times before, on the journey for Naraku.

"Demon!" he announced to the blackness of the night, "Show yourself!"

He felt Sango stiffen in his arms, tensing. But then she seemed to relax, as if there was no danger as they faced an intruding demon.

"It's alright, Miroku." She said, wiping away her tears as she wriggled out of his hold, "He won't hurt us."

"You are too confident in your words."

And then the daiyoukai appeared from the darkness, as dignified and as cold as always, golden eyes slicing right through the both of them. The night seemed to get colder and the youki almost felt like a ton of bricks on Miroku's shoulder, but the monk managed to shake off the pressure.

"Sesshomaru-sama..." Miroku breathed, taking to his feet cautiously, "What business do you have with us?"

"The miko, your friend," his smooth voice seemed strained, as he specified the girl he spoke of, halting just inches in front of the two, "This Sesshomaru will take you to her."

* * *

**A/N: This is NOT a good chapter, in my opinion. The writing is horrible - but whatever. Have fun, and review!  
**


	10. Accepting Fate

**Quick Author's Note, before you start reading. I'd like to address Kagome's "Schizophrenia", since I noticed a few of you had questions about it. In response, I went and researched using information from a review I received. Now, keep in mind that I've made it so Kagome's... "condition" is very mild and nothing to be worried about. Schizophrenia is the closest word that would explain what she's going through with the "little voice in her head." And, the disease fits the symptoms. From what I found, Acute (or reactive) Schizophrenia can come on genetically or after a life crisis and/or tramatic event, and causes hallucinations (including the voices in the head - Kagome's issue) and mood disorders. The mood disorders include things such as lack of social activity, withdrawal from those around, depression, anxiety, etc. So, the disease fit what she was going through, so I used the word "Schizophrenia," and I used it very loosely. Now go! Enjoy the chapter... even though it's short, as always. :D**

* * *

When he returned to their camp, the sun's first rays still dead behind the horizon, Rin had awoken. It took him no time to notice the absence of the wolf's corpse, and immediately his eyes picked up the drag marks upon the ground and the blood and skin beneath Kagome's fingernails. It seemed that she had dragged him away, out of sight, as to spare the young girl of such a sight.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin yawned, smiling widely through the fog of sleep.

He acknowledged her with the smallest of nods before he turned his gaze to Kagome, who sat with her legs tucked to her side, her eyes drawn towards the ground as Rin leaned up against her. Her gaze didn't waver from it's spot when he spoke.

"You will take leave of my party before the sun rises, miko," he used unnecessary edge in his voice, golden eyes cutting through her body as if she were nothing more than the air.

And for a moment, silence reigned. The air crushed down on them, as his words faded into nothingness, and he watched her draw a pointless shape in the dirt with her finger. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, the sigh that slipped through her lips broke the absolute silence.

Her eyes turned up to him – distant, haunted – and she stood slowly, breaking his gaze only for a moment as she dust herself off, until finally she stood to face him completely.

"Thank you..." her voice was lost, too far away to be understood in the fullest sense, and the fake smile that graced her lips made something inside of him want to cringe away from her, "...for everything you have done for me."

Silence again. Unending, horrible silence. A silence that seemed to bring forth the souls of the dead who haunted the disturbed, who taunted the peaceful ones. Sesshomaru saw the hollow of her soul, as he stared into the blue of her eyes. And, for the smallest second, he wondered what she was thinking. He wondered what went on inside the mind that his brother had damaged and torn, he wondered of her memories. For the smallest moment, the longest hour, he was tempted. He was curious. He wanted to see, to feel, to understand what she was, from the inside...

But then he realized what he was thinking, what he wanted, and in disgust with himself he tore his eyes from hers. And finally, he heard them catch up with him.

"My promise of protection over you has ended, miko," he said coldly, refusing to look at her, "If you see this Sesshomaru, ever again, you would be wise to flee. I will kill you."

When they burst through the brush and trees of the surrounding area, her attention was diverted, and he was gone in a gust of unnatural wind.

--

When the sun began to rise from the East, she was still bedridden. She could barely remember the night, how her friends had taken her away with tears of relief in their eyes as Rin and the others went to catch up with Sesshomaru. The night's events were still pulling down on her, invisible iron bonds pulling her to the ground every time she tried to take a step, and sometimes it just felt hard to just _breathe._

_Koga is dead... _

And then, she was mourning. When she pushed back her tears she found that she'd curled up into a ball underneath the blankets of the bed she didn't remember getting into, underneath a roof of a house that she barely remembered entering. She remembered one thing though, one thing that explained why everything was such a daze. She had gone into shock, when Sesshomaru had disappeared and her friends were there, but she didn't understand quite why. Shock followed a traumatic, horrifying event. Not... that.

_Traumatic event? _Her mind said, almost mockingly, _You just found your friends, got threatened by a youkai lord, and found out Koga's dead and you're his heir. That classifies as traumatic._

"...Heir." the word fell from her lips, softened by tears, and she barely realized she had said it aloud.

And then the world shattered again.

She was a heir to a demon tribe. She was a female, miko heir to a wolf tribe. God, what had she done wrong? What had she done to be cursed so, to be tortured? She couldn't take charge of a tribe she knew little about, whether or not it's members trusted her or not. She'd be a sitting duck, in the middle of the world of youkai. And now even Sesshomaru wanted her dead. There would be no surviving this.

She sat up slowly, propping herself up on an arm and running her free hand through her hair as she tried to hold herself together.

What had Koga been thinking? Why had he given her his title and lands?

She was broken out of her thoughts when a knocked echoed through the room, causing her eyes to turn towards the doors.

"Yes?" her voice was weak, still hollow with shock.

A small amount of light flooded into the room as the door slid open, the suns dim rays quickly extinguished when the door closed shut once more.

"Kagome..." Sango's voice was calm, collected, as she sat beside the miko on the futon, "...Are you feeling better now?"

"No." her voice seemed to crack and break, as if it were about to crumble away, "I'm not."

Sango draped a comforting arm around her friend, sighing, "Will you tell me about it? It helps, sometimes, to talk."

Life became unreal, as if she were dreaming, but after a moment of silence that was much longer than she intended it to be, Kagome spoke.

"Koga is dead."

She could hear everything it seemed, after those words slipped through her lips. Her heart pounded in her ears, she heard Sango's surprise, she heard the wind rustling the leaves outside of the walls of this home. She shivered, for no apparent reason, waiting for Sango to speak.

"...How?" she breathed, and Kagome shut her eyes, trying to disappear from existence.

"InuYasha killed him," it was strange, how she could just say this like nothing had ever happened, "because he was looking for me."

After the longest moment of her life, Kagome could no longer stand the silence when Sango refused to speak.

"And Koga... he appointed me, as his heir."

She heard her friend's breathing catch, felt her arm tense around her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Why were those words coming out of her mouth, in a time where she should be the one receiving this question?

"He appointed you as his heir?" it seemed that now it was Sango who was in shock, leaving Kagome confused as to why it would mean so much, "Are you sure, Kagome?"

"That's what one of his wolves told me," she cringed away from her memory, "before he died at my feet."

"Why...?" Sango was talking to herself now, nearly ignoring Kagome's stares, "Why would Koga do that?"

"What's wrong?" For a second time those words left her mouth, as she turned her body more to face her friend.

"Kagome... You're a human leader of a demonic tribe. Can't you see what type of danger you're in?"

"Danger...?" she echoed in a breathless tone, unsure of how to take her friend's words.

"Yes, danger. Kagome, humans aren't supposed to have standing in the world of youkai. They _can't_. It just isn't done. If they find out about this, they'll come after you. Youkai assassins, entire tribes, daiyoukai like Sesshomaru –"

"Or Sesshomaru." Kagome interrupted, her breath catching in her throat.

_He'll kill you, and you won't be able to stop him, _her mind told her_, _a monotone whisper in her skull,_ and they'll die protecting you._

"Kagome..." she barely registered her friend's following words, "We'll keep you safe."

_...They won't need to, will they? _The voice asked, almost sadly.

No. They wouldn't have to protect her. If they tried to save her from a daiyoukai like Sesshomaru – or Sesshomaru, himself – they wouldn't survive. They'd already sacrificed enough for her. She wasn't going to let them lay down their lives for her and her mistakes. If someone came for her, she wouldn't fight. She'd just let them take her and do what they wished, and when the darkness descended maybe she'd find herself in a better place. Sango, Miroku, Shippo... they could survive without her, couldn't they? All she had caused them was pain anyways, ever since she'd broken the jewel.

_We'll die soon, won't we?_

She bit down on her bottom lip, closing her eyes as she leaned against her friend.

_Yes._


	11. Survivors

_"Smart little whelp, hiding out here while the rest of his family is left to die..." a smirk crossed the youkai's face, sending chills down the child's spine, "...What do you have in your arms, kid?"_

_Instinctively, he pulled the bundle closer to his chest, trying to calm his trembling._

_"Oh, c'mon, kid," the youkai said gruffly, grabbing the boy by the arm and dragging him forward, "What the hell do you have?"_

_The child tried to hide the bundle from view, but to no avail._

_"A baby, eh?" as if on cue, the infant started to cry, but the man only seemed to take pleasure from the horrified screams, "You're trying to protect your brother, aren't you? Well, ain't that the damnedest thing... It won't matter, though, will it?"_

_With a swift pull, the child found himself in the air, picked up by the red clad youkai. Immediately he began to struggle, but all he received in response was a low chuckle._

_"Hey kid, I'm not going to hurt you. Even I can't kill little defenseless whelps like you two."_

_The boy didn't listen and continued struggling, keeping a tight hold on the crying infant._

_"Fine then, runt." The man growled, roughly dropping the boy on the ground._

_The child stumbled forward, catching himself by his shoulder in a small, hollowed out indent in the cave walls. The pain was sharp against his bones and his brother's crying was making his ears ring painfully, but by the time he had turned around, it was too late._

_"Sleep tight, kid," he watched in horror as the youkai smirked, sliding a boulder into place in front of him, locking him inside the area, "Good luck getting out of this hellhole."_

_And then he was trapped, the darkness encasing him, leaving him alone with a screaming baby in his arms. _

--

Sesshomaru's eyes scanned the battlefield silently, the gold remaining unphased by each corpse it rest upon.

He stood in the middle of the wolves' den, surrounded by the blood and massacre his brother had left behind. He had come only to investigate, and what he found was no less than disturbing. Just by the evidence left behind it as obvious to tell that InuYasha had been engulfed in mindless bloodlust during the fight, every killing gruesome and careless. But it wasn't that fact that unnerved him – it was the scars of Tetsusaiga's blade upon the ground. It was true that he, Sesshomaru, could wield the sealed sword for seconds at a time, but for InuYasha to do so was literally... Impossible. Had the once-hanyo found a way to unlock Tetsusaiga? If he had... well, there would be a problem.

His thoughts came to a halt, though, as his eyes came to rest on the lifeless body of Koga.

The wolf was missing a leg, his head resting beside his neck, completely severed from the body. His life was long gone, far our of reach of Tenseiga, and it seemed his corpse had been left to rot for days. For a moment, Sesshomaru paused, thoughts overtaking him. That was the man who dared to give a human his youkai standing, the imbecile who thought such a thing would be acceptable. But yet, it didn't matter. The problem could easily be solved, even if it wasn't he who righted the wrong. The wolf's stupidity had sealed the miko's fate, dooming her to die by the hand of a fellow youkai. InuYasha would protect her, of course, if he got a hold of her first, but any life was him was just as much punishment as death. But even then, InuYasha would share her fate, and would die by his own brother's hand, his little miko following after him.

And then the silence was broken, an infant's muffled cry reaching Sesshomaru's sensitive ears over the field of battle. It took him no time to follow it, stepping over the corpses with inhuman grace and speed until he reached the main cave, his eyes setting on the out of place boulder that rest against the rock walls. It was from there that the cry came from, loud and unending, and there was no hesitation in Sesshomaru's next actions. Maybe a sixth of a second had passed after his first movement from his spot, and the boulder was pushed away, the cries becoming louder now that the sound waves could travel freely.

"Child," his words were cold, but not harsh, as a young boy blinked up at him, holding the crying infant close to his chest, "...Did you entrap yourself?"

"...Who... Who are you?"

He ignored the blatant disregard to his question, simply because it was a child and infant whom he addressed, "My name is Sesshomaru. You will answer my previous question."

"N-No, Sesshomaru-sama," the child stammered, "We were trapped in here by the man who attacked the pack."

The boy tried to look around Sesshomaru, as if to see if there was anyone else there, but Sesshomaru lifted a hand and let his long sleeve block the child's sight of the corpses that piled up inside the caves.

"State your name, child, and that of the infant's."

"M-my name is Kaoru, Sesshomaru-sama, and my brother is Ryo." The child was obviously afraid of the man that had freed him, the emotions running wild in his blue eyes, "Are you here to kill us?"

"This Sesshomaru would never disgrace himself by killing a child and his baby brother," the daiyoukai said coolly.

"...The man who attacked us... did he leave anyone alive?"

"You seem to be the only ones spared," it seemed that even InuYasha had enough honor not to kill the innocent young, "Your leader fell, in battle."

"Who is the new leader, then?" the child asked quickly, fear stricken, "Do you know?"

Beneath the folds of his sleeve, his fingers gave a slight twitch. The child had backed him into a corner.

"I do."

"Then can you take us to him? We belong with our leader, if there is no one left..."

Sesshomaru hesitated, knowing there was no way to back out of this. He was honor bound now, to deliver the children to Kagome. He couldn't refuse a child help, as Rin was a great example of, because of his status. It was dishonoring and degrading to do such a thing, if not downright unjust and cruel.

"This Sesshomaru shall take you and your brother to _her_," he said slowly, "once you are fit to travel."

As if on cue, Kaoru's stomach erupted a loud growl.


	12. Three Days

"Clutching my cure I tightly lock the door.  
I try to catch my breath again.  
I hurt much more than any time before - I have no options left again.  
I don't want to be the one the battles always choose,  
because inside, I realize, that I'm the one confused.  
I don't know what's worth fighting for, or why I have to scream.  
I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean.  
I don't know how I got this way – I'll never be alright, so I'm breaking the habit,  
I'm breaking the habit tonight."  
-_Breaking the Habit_; Linkin Park.

* * *

Tomorrow. It seemed so far away, too distant to reach. But somehow, something always managed to drag her through the present and into the future. At first it had been InuYasha, who had drug her through the mud and forced her into tomorrow. And then it had been Koga, who had kept her going through kindness, followed by Sesshomaru, who dragged her along mercilessly for his own honor. But now, finally, she was entering tomorrow happily, accompanied by people she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Kirara... Her friends, her new family. Her only family.

But where would she go from here? Would she do nothing and just wait, like a sitting duck, for someone to come after her? She was in danger, unable to avoid her fate. She felt as if she could feel her life coming to a close, as if her mind was preparing herself for something that might come or never arrive. InuYasha might find her, after scouring the lands. Sesshomaru might run into her one day, if she ever left the confines of the demon slaying village. A youkai or daiyoukai might come after her to steal away her title in their world. But when? She couldn't sit around here forever, waiting for her end, unable to imagine the next day or her future. Yes, she could try and ignore it all, but was that really safe?

_You defeated Naraku, didn't you?_

Yes, she did.

_Sesshomaru and InuYasha needed _help_ from _you_ to kill him. Naraku would have won, without you._

Maybe she'd be able to fight them off, if they came for her. She was strong enough, she had enough powers of a miko. If all came to it, she knew she'd be able to protect herself. But to fight Sesshomaru would be hopeless, and to fight InuYasha was pointless.

"Sesshomaru..." she breathed his name, picturing the daiyoukai in her mind.

One time, he was an ally. One week, he was a savior. But now, in a change that lasted only the briefest of seconds, he was an enemy – a danger.

"Kagome!" a voice broke her from her thoughts, tearing her eyes away from the clouds above her that cast dark shadows down upon the world.

Shippo was bounding her way, running as fast as his little feet could carry him, a bright smile on his face. He had returned from his exams, and it seemed Miroku or Sango had told him that she had returned.

The smile that stretched across her face couldn't be held back as he launched himself into her arms, wrapping his small arms around her neck in a bone crushing hug.

"You're back!" he announced, pulling his face up to look at her with his big green eyes.

She smiled lightly, "I am. It's so nice to see you again, Shippo."

"We were all worried that you were hurt and that he might of attacked you or that you got away to the well and he tried to go after you or that – " she put a finger to his lips, stopping his sentence as he inhaled to return all the air to his lungs after his one-breath attempt at a speech.

"It's alright Shippo, I'm fine." She felt like she was lying, "All that matters is that I'm here now, and not with InuYasha."

The young kitsune's face fell, "InuYasha..." his voice was a breath, a whisper, "Is he... _alright_?"

Her smile dissipated, leaving only a sad and hollowed look, "No, he's not."

And, for some reason, she found she could say no more on the subject.

---

Ryo loved to cry. It was his god given talent, his most prominent trait. And it was driving Sesshomaru fucking insane. The insanity didn't show of course – it was all a series of twitching fingers beneath sleeves and random thoughts of murder that ran through his mind. True, it was an uncharacteristic thing for him to do, but three straight days of a baby's crying is enough to drive even the strongest insane.

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru-sama," Kaoru must have said this at least a thousand times by now, "He's never done this before."

Sesshomaru, intent on keeping his façade, didn't respond.

Traveling on foot was slightly annoying as well, partially because it took so much time compared to when he traveled alone, in the skies. They had just begun to arrive after three days of travel, when it took him only one to reach the wolf caves before.

"I just fed him... he's changed..." Kaoru was listing off the things that could possibly be disturbing the infant underneath his breath, and Sesshomaru just quietly continued forward.

He'd be glad when he saw the last of these two children.

_Only until nightfall..._ he told himself once more, eyes catching a glimpse of the forests opening up in the far off distance.

---

It had been three days since he'd left her here. Seventy-two hours since she'd last seen a dog demon, two thousand fifty-nine, two hundred seconds since Sesshomaru had warned her of her fate.

She was missing the excitement already.

Life here, with Sango and the others, was peaceful and dull. She was glad to be back with her friends, of course, but there was nothing exciting happening. Yes, she laughed and joked and smiled with all of them, but she was sorely missing the thrill of being out in the wilderness like she had been for so long. There was no youkai she was hunting down, no people she was trying to survive through. It was a masochistic wish to go back to that life, she knew, but it didn't matter all that much.

Inevitably, it would come back to her. It always did, one way or the other.

"Kagome," Sango called, turning her eyes away from the setting sun, "Would you come help me for a minute?"

She nodded, bringing herself up to her feet and making her way over to the fire pit in the middle of the room, where Sango struggled with the starting of a fire. Kneeling down beside her friend, she began to spark at the wood, giving Sango a sympathetic look as the demon slayer sighed and brought her hand up to her forehead.

"I'm sorry Kagome," she seemed so tired, worn out, "I just feel... ill, today."

"It's alright..." the miko muttered in response as the tender caught fire, and quietly they both coaxed the fire to life, "It's been a long day, Sango."

"Yes, it has..." She moaned, sliding her legs out from under her and leaning back against the flooring, "...God, I'm tired. Ill and tired..."

"Your period coming around soon?" Kagome asked casually. Miroku wasn't around and Sango had become much more open about these things since she'd spent time with Kagome, so it was an appropriate time to ask.

"No..." Sango became still for a moment, once the word slipped from her lips, and soon her hands were up in front of her face, fingers counting off something.

Kagome smiled softly. Maybe Sango and Miroku had finally gotten pregnant. From what she'd been told, they had been trying to do so for quite some time.

"Kagome..." it seemed the demon slayer had finished counting off as she looked over at her friend, a faint smile on her face, "...I think I'm pregnant."

Kagome giggled appropriately, tackle-hugging her friend. But, for some reason, she wasn't feeling what she was expressing. Her friend's lives her falling together perfectly around her; Sango and Miroku were married and probably expecting, Shippo was off training, and even InuYasha had gotten what he had wanted. But for her, with Naraku's death, things seemed to fall apart. Her home was ripped away from her, her innocence was taken, her friends had been separated from her, the wolves had died... Koga had died.

_If there had never been an InuYasha..._

There it was again, that phrase. She'd heard it a lot over the years, as a passive thought, even before he had used the jewel.

If there had never been an InuYasha, would her life be normal?  
If there had never been an InuYasha, would she have ever fallen in love?  
If there had never been an InuYasha, would she ever have been complete?  
If there had never been an InuYasha, she could have been safe.  
If there had never been an InuYasha, she could be happy.

But there_ was _an InuYasha.

With InuYasha, she loved.  
With InuYasha, she was tortured.  
With InuYasha, she lived in pain.  
With InuYasha, she could never be normal.  
With InuYasha, she was lost – dead.  
With InuYasha, she was complete.

_You're masochistic, _her mind accused.

At least the masochism kept her sane.

---

The night was about to settle, the sun ray's fading away, and Ryo had finally cried himself into exhaustion, now dead asleep.

Sesshomaru could see the demon slaying village ahead with his perfect vision, and his step became a bit quicker.

Minutes from now, he would hand the children off. Seconds from now, he would face her on terms where he wouldn't touch her.

But, still, he was determined to see her death at his hands, to save his honor and that honor of the youkai society. No child would stand in his way – not Rin, not Kaoru, not Ryo, not the kitsune – and no person would defer him from his path.

Her only savior could be InuYasha.

But what type of salvation could that be?

* * *

**A/N: This story has been nominated for the Dokuga fanfiction awards, in the categories of...  
**

**Best Sesshomaru Portrayl  
Darkfic/Horror**

**Thank you to who nominated me, everyone who reviewed, and all of my readers! I'm so happy!!!**


	13. Delivery

They had gone outside to find Miroku, to tell him the good news.

But the moment that had pushed passed the reed curtain, Kagome had frozen. It seemed Miroku felt it as well, as he stood not two feet in front of them in a half stance, eyes pointed towards the village's entrance.

Her mind screamed at her, telling her to run and flee.

But she could only think: Why was he here?

_He's here because he wants you dead, stupid, _the voice chastised, _now, unless you want to bite the dust, find a way to get the hell out of here._

"Fleeing would not be in your best interest, miko."

The rumbling sound of his deep voice locked her joints together, the feeling of ice melting down her spine chilling her.

"So I'm just to stand here and let you take off my head?" the words slipped through her lips before she could stop them, but she refused to turn her gaze to the entrance of her new home, where she knew he stood.

"If I were here to kill you, I would have already done so." And then he was in front of her, in arms reach, golden eyes drilling into hers.

It took her a minute to regain her composure, the sight of him forced the wind out of her lungs, stopped her system, "...Then what do you want, Sesshomaru?"

"There is... _business_ this Sesshomaru must discuss with you – "

"Business?" she asked warily, "I thought you were the one who wanted to kill me because I have a spot in your little world."

"Watch you tongue, miko, or you will soon depart from it," he snapped, turning his eyes to the demon slayer who was reaching for her weapon, "And you, demon slayer, should refrain from attacking this Sesshomaru if you wish for yourself and your child to live."

The shock was apparent on Sango's face and she stopped moving, but before she could squeak out a sound, Kagome was speaking.

"How in the hells– ?!"

Before she could finish, he interrupted, "Scent, miko. Now you remain silent if you want to receive the information I have come to give."

She clenched her jaw together, tempted to grind her teeth or spit out another insult. But her curiosity held her back. If Sesshomaru wasn't here to kill her, whatever was standing in his way had to be worth mentioning. And yet he didn't speak soon enough to calm her curiosity. Before a word could leave his mouth, he heard the small whimper of a baby on the wind. If not for his composure, he would have groaned in dread. That sound symbolized a young wolf youkai waking from his slumber, as did the small pitter-patter of feet from the elder who was closing in on the village.

Hadn't he told them to wait for his summoning?

It seemed Sesshomaru had yet to grasp the concept of children and their behaviors, despite the fact that he had an abnormally obedient one following him around day after day.

And then there it was – Ryo's scream sounding through the night, irritating his ears yet again. How was it that such a young child could make such a _loud_ noise?

A creak of wood as a boy leaned against the entrance, then a breath of air from the child who let out another loud scream.

"Sesshomaru-sama..." Kaoru managed to make himself just loud enough to be heard over the cries of his younger sibling, "...He's awoken."

How obvious.

"Sesshomaru, who are they?" Kagome questioned, turning her eyes to the boy who cradled the crying baby.

"This Sesshomaru made a journey up to the wolf dens in the East and was met with the sight of a murdered pack–"

"Murdered... pack? What do you mean?" Kagome interrupted, eyes snapping back to him.

"Be quiet and pay attention. I will not repeat myself," the daiyoukai snapped, glaring her down, "The wolves of the pack had been murdered. I came across two children, who had managed to preserve their lives–"

"Sesshomaru-sama," Kaoru's voice was growing more grating by the moment, and Sesshomaru swore he was going to kill the next person who dared interrupt him, "Why are we here? There are no wolf youkai here. Are you not supposed to take us to our new leader?"

The question wasn't worthy of an answer or explanation, as it seemed Kagome had already put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"You mean... they're the last ones?" her voice was barely above a whisper, "...Sesshomaru..."

"Duty bound me to deliver them to you. This does not change my intentions to kill you, miko," He said to her with an ice edge, turning towards the children that stood at the entrance, "Kaoru, I have fulfilled my promise and taken you to your leader."

The child's brow was furrowed in confusion, "But, Sesshomaru-sama, she is human. You can't be right."

"Do not question this Sesshomaru's intelligence, child. It was your previous leader who appointed her, and the fault is his. But if you are to stay loyal to your pack, you shall not oppose it."

"Koga wouldn't do that!" The boy was suddenly angry, and Ryo's crying seemed to increase as a response to it.

"He would..." Kagome muttered, "For me, he would."

The child rounded on her, standing taller, "What's so special about you then?! Why would he do something so wrong just for you?!"

"Because he thought he was in love with me." Like a haunting ghosts, memories of him appeared in her minds eye, pulling her down.

The boy looked shocked, "You're a liar."

"I'm not a liar. I'm Kagome."

The sound of her name seemed to bring light to his eyes, the angry fire dying down.

Miroku, who had been standing by quietly, took his chance, "She tells you the truth, my child. Koga-sama was deeply infatuated with her. Perhaps you remember her, from the time he took her back to the den? She's Kagome, the Miko of the Shikon No Tama."

Kaoru looked as if he was in shock, his eyes listless as he stared up at her, the gaze unwavering. And for a moment, there was no sound between woman and child, even with Ryo screaming in his elder brother's arms. It passed, though, when Kaoru's tail came just between his legs and he slumped, his face painted with submission.

"I'm sorry..." his voice was barely audible, near a whisper; and he seemed to have a hard time spitting out his next words, "...Kagome-sama."

Her smile was soft and sad, "It's all right."

After a moment, he straightened himself back up, but made no move towards her. So it was she that began to walk towards to him, slowly and cautiously.

"I know you don't like this situation," she said quietly, "And I'm not all that partial to it either. But we'll have to deal with it for now, okay?" She could have sworn she saw him nod slightly, "You and your brother can stay here with us... well, with me. I'll take care of you as best I can, Kaoru," – _Sesshomaru called him that, didn't he?_ – "and the baby you have."

"He's my brother." Kaoru's voice was quiet, but made of stone, "Ryo."

"Yes. Ryo."

And then she was standing in front of him, his blue eyes drilling up into her own. Carefully, she reached out, resting her fingers in his hair even when he flinched.

"I promise, Kaoru, I'm not going to hurt you. Koga was a friend to me, and I'd never hurt anyone that was of his family, like you and your brother are."

"You're only human. You can't hurt a youkai like me." He mumbled darkly, but his comment was seemingly ignored by Kagome.

"C'mon," she said quietly, "Let's take you and your brother inside and get you settled."

"'Kay," he held his brother up then, offering him to her, "You should hold him."

Kagome pulled her arms up to her chest, wary of holding the child. The baby was already upset. Would it make it worse if she was to hold him?

_Oh, just take him and get it over with._

So she carefully reached out, wrapping her arms around the infant and taking him from his brother, cradling the baby in an embrace close to her chest. His head was nestled up against her breast, warm against her body where he could hear the sound of her beating heart.

The crying stopped instantly.

-----

Sesshomaru had left the moment his last words had slipped from his lips, leaving the children alone with their new leader. It annoyed him that he had to leave her behind, alive and unscathed. His duty seemed to often get in his way of things, but he tried to ignore the fact.

_She will be dead soon enough._

Through the night air he flew, using many tree branches as springboards back into the skies, trying to locate his party. He assumed Jaken had taken Rin away to a safer place than the location he had left them in three days ago. They could not have strayed far from the area.

And when he touched down on the clearing he had left them in, the grass beneath him flattening without a sound, their scents floated up to him, faded and lingering. It would be a quick job to find them and continue on, as if nothing had ever happened in the past few days.

"Sesshomaru, is that you?"

Automatically, Sesshomaru's hand flew to his sword, senses on high alert.

He hadn't sensed anyone there. He wasn't accustomed to being sneaked up on or taken off guard – it just didn't happen. It wasn't supposed to happen. He was Sesshomaru, the strongest daiyoukai in Japan. No one should be able to sneak up on him, let alone hide their aura.

"Reveal yourself." He was rather good at hiding his surprise, fortunately. Not a single muscle on his face had changed, his movements had been few and fluid. As far as they knew, he hadn't been taken off guard.

From the dark surroundings came very little noise as a man stepped out into the clearing, standing tall and staring at the daiyoukai whom he had spoken to. His silver hair shone bright in the moonlight, cut short and matted against his skull in a dirty fashion. Golden eyes so much like Sesshomaru's were wandering around the scene, looking for any other than the daiyoukai who stood in front of him.

"Tetsuo." Sesshomaru said coolly, his hand falling from Bakusaiga's hilt.

The man's eyes were drawn back to Sesshomaru, "It's been a while."

"Hn."

This man was going to make his day more unbearable, as he regularly did on their meetings. Cousin through his Mother's sister, Tetsuo was the second eldest son in the inuyoukai family, and one who Sesshomaru rarely saw and barely tolerated. He was a daiyoukai as well, but the equality of rank between the two seemed to do nothing to help their relationship.

"Are you here about that girl, Sesshomaru?" Tetsuo asked after a moment, motioning towards someone in the forest.

"Whom do you speak of?" As Sesshomaru spoke, two girls of identical faces emerged from the shelter of the trees, standing quietly behind Tetsuo on either side.

"You didn't hear? Your stupid little hanyo brother went and killed Koga, and that idiot entrusted his lands to a mortal."

_Kagome._

"This Sesshomaru is aware of the situation. How does it involve you?"

"Well, your Mother sent us to get rid of her. She seemed to think you wouldn't get the job done yourself..." Tetsuo's voice trailed off, and his nose scrunched up as if he'd just caught whiff of something disgusting, "Damn, Sesshomaru! You reek like a wolf! What the hell were you doing?"

The two girls accompanying him seemed to smell it as well, but their pale faces didn't change much in expression.

"My business is not of your concern, cousin."

"Whatever." He muttered, sniffing, "Are you off to get rid of her, or are you going to make us go do it."

"I have other duties more insistent than disposing of a misplaced mortal."

"Like what? Taking care of your little human pet?"

Now Tetsuo was pressing buttons, teasing and mocking his daiyoukai counterpart. This was where the mutual hate came in.

"Watch your tongue, child, when you speak to your leader."

Tetsuo's face was wiped clean, annoyance sparking to life in his eyes, but he remained silent.

"Now, go. Take to your duties." Sesshomaru ordered with a wave of his hand, eager to be rid of his cousin.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama," He said the name with obvious mock, but went ignored.

Sesshomaru watched with a blank stare as they left, near their target. Once they disposed of her, some other wolves would come to collect the children, and life would move on. And once she was dead, InuYasha's fate would be sealed.


	14. Change of Heart

The moment his foot made contact with the branch of the tree, he shot back through the night skies, silent as any assassin.

"Tell me about her, Mai," he ordered to the woman on his right, not bothering to look at her when he spoke, golden eyes intent on the path in front of him.

"She's the miko of the Shikon no Tama, Tetsuo-sama." The woman responded, "It was she that was as foolish enough to give the Jewel to your half-cousin, and it was she who was appointed leader of the Eastern Wolf Tribe when InuYasha took down the previous leader. She's adept in the usage of the bow and arrow, her miko powers rumored stronger than any before."

"Weaknesses?" he asked to the other, who ran on his left.

"Nothing that is noteworthy in her physical capabilities. Mentally, she is incapable of sacrificing others for her own benefit."

They were assassins, trained and built to murder without warning. Mai and her twin, Rei, studied their target. Tetsuo was the one that killed, ending the lives of those he was sent to kill without hesitation. Together, they had never failed. There were no doubts that they would fail now, in the face of this misplaced miko.

Her scent exploded then, growing stronger suddenly as the forests opened up, and the three landed without sound on the grass below them.

"There she is..." he muttered to himself, scaling the demon slayer's village carefully before further orders came from him, "...Mai, Rei, it's time we tell them we're here."

---

She hummed to him, rocking him back and forth in her arms, keeping him warm to her chest. Kaoru had told her the baby's name was Ryo – a name that seemed so fitting for the young child she held in her arms. But this infant posed such a big responsibility in her life. She was the last thing they had. Their father had fallen by the hand of the monster she had allowed InuYasha to become, and their mother... Neither of them knew her. Even Koga, the leader that only Kaoru really knew, was gone. She was it. She was the last resort, their only.

"Here, Kagome," Sango said quietly, kneeling down beside her friend, "Take this."

In her outstretched hands Sango offered her a sling for the child, made of strong blue fabric and fitted to wrap around and over her torso and hang down over her shoulder.

"Sango," Kagome's voice was a whisper, as to not wake the baby in her arms or the child that had collapsed in exhaustion at her side, "I can't accept that from you. You'll have a baby to take care of soon enough, as well."

"We have plenty of them, Kagome, and they are not difficult to make. Please, accept it. You're arms will tire easily from carrying around a quickly growing youkai child." Sango insisted, moving so that she was behind her friend, carefully slipping the sling over the miko's neck.

Kagome complied to Sango's wishes with a sigh, carefully moving so that she could slide one arm inside the loop of the sling and not disturb Ryo. And once it was situated around her and correctly hanging, she gently lowered the sleeping infant into it, sighing in content when he didn't protest once against her movements.

"Thank you, Sango." She mumbled, watching the demon slayer toss a blanket over Kaoru's sleeping form and feeling her own fatigue descend upon her.

"Kagome, you should try and get some rest... Miroku has already retired for the night, so you could even sneak in a bath if you wanted to. I can watch Ryo."

"No, Sango, it's all right. I think I'll just go to bed now, out here with Kaoru."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded with a small smile, feeling Ryo shift slightly in his sling. The day had been long, and if the baby allowed it, she wanted to just sleep the night through. Tomorrow, she could sort through everything that happened...

But, of course, the universe had not taken a liking to her. Just as she positioned herself against a wall, closing her eyes and slouching back, a loud crash sounded through the night, ruining her wishes for any peace.

Sango was up in a flash, having only just stood to leave the room, her hand grabbing for the Hirakotsu that leaned ready up against the front wall. Kaoru's eyes snapped open as he bolted into an upright position, lips pulled back to show his fangs. And Kagome quickly got to her feet as well, talking hold of the bow and arrow Sango had dug out from the old demon slaying weapon storage.

It took the two women less than a moment to make their way outside, followed by a sleep dazed and confused Miroku, clutching his staff and still dressed in his white sleepwear. Kagome has ushered Kaoru back into the house when he tried to follow, carefully handing over his brother. She couldn't let them get hurt.

"Which one is it?" The voice was a whisper on the wind, melodic and haunting from the darkness of the shadows.

Kagome's senses shot out in front of her then, creeping through the camp and stretching out beyond it's perimeter. There were three of them. One still standing outside the perimeters of the village grounds, two moving at speeds that made it impossible for her to pinpoint their locations. But she'd need not know the information – she already knew who they were, what they were, and why they were here.

"The one dressed in the strange garb, my sister, with the bow in her hands," another voice responded slowly, and Kagome could feel them coming closer to her, now able to sense their aura's more closely.

They were circling them, pinning them together, as they ran around and around the home. She was the prey, and they were closing in on her, giving her no room for escape.

"Who are you?" Miroku called out to the nothingness, "Why have you come?"

There was a ghostly laugh, "You do not know, monk, what type of situation the miko you house is in?"

"Don't worry," began the other, "We're only here to kill her. Unless you get in our way, you and your mate can leave without a scratch."

"You aren't going to be killing anyone today," Sango hissed, readying her weapon as she stepped into a stance.

"Oh? And I assume you think that you, a single taijiya, can stop us?"

"We can stop you." Miroku responded.

"You're display of courage in impressive in front of the face of death, monk, but it shall do you no good. All you do know is threaten the welfare of your family by interfering with our matters."

They were closing in, but slowing down. Kagome nocked a single arrow, leaving the string lax.

_You're going to give up and let them kill you?_

No. She wasn't going to do that. She might have, once, but now she had two children depending on her. They had nothing left but her, and she couldn't let them down.

"You won't be able to kill me..." she told them quietly, knowing they would hear as she slowly fed more power out onto the landscape, "...I won't let you kill me."

"One mere miko shall not be our downfall," the second voice said, a bit of humor in her voice.

"You'd be surprised at what I can do." They were closer, and finally she could see them in her mind's eye.

She pulled the string back, waiting. She could feel them running around and around and around, she swore she could hear the ghostly sounds of their footsteps. But maybe that was just her heart pounding away in her ears, the rush of blood and adrenaline peaking her senses to a new high. She would have to time it right, down the very millisecond. If she failed at that, she lost her life.

Subconsciously, she noticed that the third aura had moved inside the range of the grounds, but was still far away. Just far away so that their would be no danger from him, yet.

"Pray tell, miko, what can you do?" the first voice asked, mocking her.

She pulled back on the string a little farther, her senses at all time high.

"I can do this."

_Now!_

She let the arrow fly, releasing all she dared into it.

A second later there was the smallest crack, a surprised gasp. Kagome's arrow had hit, and the target had come to an automatic halt in front of them. Only for a moment did Kagome see the woman, dressed in her black outfit that resembled Sango's, and only for that minute did she get to appreciate the beauty of a female daiyoukai. The woman, even with an arrow sticking out between her eyes, was inhumanly gorgeous. The flaming red hair shone like no other in the night, the flashing green eyes so filled with pain and shock seemed to captivate the miko in the last second's of the woman's life. But then, the second in which Kagome stood entranced passed, and an echoing scream ripped through the night. Unlike nothing she had ever heard before, Kagome couldn't help but cringe at the painfully beautiful sound as the woman disinigrated with purifying power, glowing pink for only an instant before she turned to dust.

And what followed the scream was nothing. Just silence. The silence that held all shocked, captivated, and immobile. It felt as if the world had suddenly stood still just for that moment, as if the universe was frozen in shock. But then, much too late, Kagome realized that the third demon had come into view, and the second was standing near and off to the side, staring at the spot where her comrade had just been.

Golden eyes met with hers, and the world shattered a million times over as the man unleashed his raw youki down upon her.

It was overwhelming and blinding, near to forcing her down on her knees. She wondered if this is what it would feel like to have Sesshomaru standing before her, unleashing his own youki down upon her. No doubt, she would be whimpering on the ground on such a situation. But this man, this daiyoukai, was not that strong. He was strong enough to torture her with only his raw youki, but nowhere near Sesshomaru's level. Yet, you didn't have to be Sesshomaru to kill her.

"You've shot down my comrade, miko." His voice was rough and cold, twisted with emotion, "I will ensure your death is long and painful."

She forced her eyes to stay open, though they were weighed down with his power.

"You can't kill me," she was openly defying him, something no mere mortal would ever do in the face of such a youkai, "I won't let myself be murdered."

His eyes flashed with anger for that one moment, and then he was gone, too fast for her to see.

"You think you can stand up to me, bitch?" she could hear his voice from all directions, swirling around her, "You think that you can stop me – an assassin of youkai?"

"I killed Naraku."

"Naraku was a mere hanyo. A great annoyance he may have been, but he is nowhere near my power." The man snapped, "Now, miko, tell me your name so I know who I am killing."

But before she could answer the second female lunged, a flurry of red hair like the other woman's cascading around her. Sango was quick to step in front of Kagome, fending off the demoness with Hirakotsu, glaring down the woman as she snarled. But even Sango, with all her years of training, was no match. In the span of a second Sango was thrown to the side, violently skidding to a stop on the ground below. Pure instinct lead Kagome to follow in a similar fashion, to narrowly avoid the woman's claws. Miroku was quick to attack as the woman gathered herself up out of the wall she had just thrown herself through, slapping a pair of sutras on the demoness.

They were ineffective under her strength, and in the next second Miroku was punched in the jaw and sent flying, hitting the ground violently many feet away, bouncing a few times before he came to a complete halt.

"Bitch..." Kagome looked up at the woman, eyes wide when she realized she looked the same as the one she had just killed, "...You killed my sister! I'll rip you to shreds!"

As the demoness swung her fist downwards, no doubt to crush her skull, Kagome quickly rolled out of the way, scrambling up to her feet and grabbing for another arrow. But her opponent was much to fast, and she found herself thrown to the ground seconds later, weapons out of reach.

_Fuck..._

She tried to pull herself up to her feet, but the actions were proved pointless when she found herself pinned underneath the female daiyoukai.

"How should we kill her, Tetsuo-sama?" the woman was looking at her, but speaking to someone else.

Only then did she notice that the male was standing beside them, and her gaze turned to meet his form.

Shockingly, he reminded her of Sesshomaru. They had the same pale skin, the same silver hair and golden eyes. But his hair was short, matted and messy atop his skull, and his eyes were full of emotion and rage that neither Sesshomaru or InuYasha could possibly obtain.

"Why do I deserve death?" Kagome spat out, stalling as she began to spread her miko powers throughout her body.

"You, miko, do not belong in the ranks of youkai society. Not only have you killed a comrade of mine, but to rid you from our world you must meet your end." The man said in a growl, kicking dust in her face.

And then, as she blinked away the dirt in her eyes, she caught sight of the stripes that lined his cheekbones.

"You're inuyoukai." She stated numbly, desperately trying to get her powers to spread completely.

"What of it, miko?"

She had to think fast, "Who sent you to kill me?"

"You're about to die – such information is pointless."

But she already knew the answer. This assassin was inuyoukai, powerful enough to take down and withstand her miko powers. Only Sesshomaru could have sent him.

_Damn dogs._

"Now, girl, tell me your name." he ordered, "I like to know who I'm killing, and I wasn't given such information when I was given this mission."

"Tell me yours. I would like to know the names of my murderers."

"Tetsuo..."

"...Kagome."

_Finally._

The moment she could, when her powers had spread throughout her body, she released them. The woman atop her screamed, jumping up as her hands smoked from the purifying powers, and Tetsuo took a step back. Taking the advantage, Kagome rolled over and grabbed an arrow that lay on the ground, shooting her powers through it.

But then a foot came down upon her chest, hard, and it knocked the wind out of her.

"Bitch!" Tetsuo yelled, applying more pressure to her ribcage, "Do you really wish to die so painfully."

She still held the arrow in her hand, her grip tightening around it, "I'm not going without a fight, you bastard."

With a movement too quick to be seen by any eyes but a youkai, Kagome stabbed the arrow into the daiyoukai's foot, rushing her powers through it. He screamed and cursed, letting up on the pressure, and with a quick push she was out from under him, scrambling back up to her feet. It took only a second for her to find herself on the ground, though, head spinning with the hit she'd gained from the fall.

The demoness was on top of her again, growling.

"Just fucking die!" The woman, teeth bared, lunged at her throat.

Kagome shut her eyes, prepared herself. She was about to die.

But... where was the pain?

A sudden snarl snapped her eyes back open, as did the sudden relief of weight from a top her. She should have been shocked, scared, or even relieved, but the sight of him knocked the air out of her again.

"Sesshomaru..."

There he was, her cold savior, standing in front of her with sword held high at the other male's neck, his name a ghost on her lips.

"Tetsuo, leave."

The sound of his voice reminded her to breathe, and to act. In a moment, she jumped back up to her feet, retreating back a few steps.

"Sesshomaru, what the hell are you doing?!" Tetsuo asked in a panicked voice, full of shock and disbelief.

Kagome watched as Tetsuo stared at the daiyoukai in front of him with wide golden eyes that resembled many of the youkai she knew.

"Tetsuo, you will not disobey your leader."

"Sesshomaru, you just saved her! Why!? You agree – she's not supposed to be leader of a youkai tribe!"

"I've warned you once, and shall not repeat myself."

Sesshomaru spun suddenly, Bakusaiga cutting through the air in a grace she had never seen. Kagome's eye traveled quickly to see why he had done such a thing, her gaze falling upon the woman who stood in front of him, shock written across her features. After a second that seemed much too long, her neck began to gush blood, a sight that made Kagome nauseous. And with a sickening sound the woman's head fell from her neck, hitting the ground with a loud thud as the body collapsed beside it.

"A stupid female to attack her superior," Sesshomaru muttered, turning back to the man in front of him, "Now I will have to kill you, cousin, for seeing this ordeal."

Tetsuo's expression went from shocked to angry in a split second, "You're a traitor to your people, Sesshomaru! Have you turned into your father, after all, falling for pathetic little humans?!"

Sesshomaru's growl was low and ferocious, chilling Kagome to her core. But she had heard what Tetsuo meant – Sesshomaru had told her that he would kill her. She had no doubt in it, and he had no hesitation in his words. So why had he saved her? He had no debt to her, she was indebted to him. It made no sense.

"Speak nothing of which you do not know. Now, prepare yourself for death."

Bakusaiga was raised high once more, but Tetsuo didn't seem to notice.

"I'm not dying here."

Suddenly, there was a burst of smoke, and Bakusaiga clattered to the ground. Kagome began to hack and cough, bringing her hand up to her mouth, eyes watering. Through blurry eyes did she manage to see Sesshomaru, with a fire in his eyes, block his mouth with the sleeve of his own kimono as well.

_Poison... _her mind registered, fading in and out.

And then all went black.

* * *

**A/N:** **This story has been nominated again for the InuYasha FanGuild Awards, in the Darkfic/Horror section! Thank you to all!**

**Oh, and to anyone who has been reading this here because Dokuga was down, I'm happy to announce that Dokuga is back up and running! All that's left to do is work out all the tinie tiny glitches!**


	15. Fires

He had come to watch her die. He had come to see her cry, to beg for her life, to do anything she could to appease his cousin. But, instead, he had seen her fight. She'd killed one of her assassins – in a quite effective manner, he noticed – and put up a fight against the other female. And just moments before she died, just a split second before the demoness's teeth met her throat, something in him snapped.

She shouldn't die this way.

He'd seen this woman fight, watched her defeat the only enemy he had ever had such a hard time defeating. He had watched her stand tall against the forces of the world, survive through the monster his brother had become.

She should die with honor.

Not like this.

So he had taken action, descending upon the battle scene and ending the life of the second female assassin. He planned to dispose of his cousin next, because he had to. No one could live to tell of his actions, to know what he had just done. And, if he had killed Tetsuo, he would have taken Kagome away and killed her by his own hand. But he would have let her die with her dignity, with the honor she somehow deserved.

Yet, things hadn't turned out that way. With a burst of defiance and black smoking poison, things had taken a turn for the worst. The poison was nothing serious, only strong enough temporarily disorient him. But it had given the assassin enough time to flee, to get out alive.

It gave Tetsuo the chance to spread the word.

Because of that damn poison, he was sitting here now, watching the taijiya tend to Kagome and her mate. The wolf cub hovered near by, holding his brother in his arms, watching with his own distracted gaze. He was recovering, himself, letting his immune system destroy the poison that had infiltrated his system. The disorientation was leaving him, and he could think things over with a clearer mind.

She was just a arm's reach away, a second away from his claws.

He _could_ kill her now. He could fulfill his duty to his world and position, and rid her from the living like he was bound to do.

But she was unconscious now, her own body struggling to fight off the poison that had gotten into her system. He wouldn't attack her while she was down like this. There was no honor in that for either of them, no matter how easy it would be to simply slit her throat.

Besides, the poison was already killing her. Slowly, but surely, it was overcoming her. If she couldn't fight it, she would die from it. And it would be no easy death, no painless feat.

"Will she be alright?"

Kaoru's voice was just a whisper as he spoke to the demon slayer, as he was careful not to wake his sleeping brother.

All he got in response was a sympathetic look as the demon slayer placed a wet cloth on the burning forehead of the miko.

---

Red.

That was what he was seeing.

But then it would flash back to normal, for just a moment. The moment would pass though, and he would see red again.

Red. Normal. Red. Normal. Red. Normal. Red_red__red_...

What the fuck was going on?

_You're going insane._

"Shut up." But his voice came out as a growling mess, twisted and torn under layers of emotions he couldn't understand.

He felt like he was on fire. On fire, but still alive. Unharmed. And it wouldn't stop. He had jumped in a freezing river, fully clothed, but he was still on fire. He'd tried striping down to bare nothing in the cold night air. The fire still burned. He'd even slashed himself with his own sword, letting the blood spill out of his arm until his body healed. The fired still raged on, unrelenting, unforgiving. And all he wanted was for it to stop. But nothing he tried, absolutely nothing, helped.

The grass beneath his feet crunched as he shifted his weight, staring at the village just outside the cover of the shadows. It was night – no one was awake. His blood was calling out to him like no other, begging him for blood. And he was going to give into the callings, the cravings.

Maybe that would stop the fire.

_She'll hate you for this._

He didn't seem to care, or even realize the voice in his head. He didn't remember who he was, who he wanted to return to his life. Engulfed in the fires his demon blood, he wasn't even a shred recognizable to the world around him. He wasn't InuYasha. He wasn't Youkai InuYasha. He was just another youkai overcome by the senses that were never supposed to be his, ruled by the blood his father had tried to protect him from.

He decimated the village that night, reveled in the screams of the innocents. He saw red, no shred of his sanity present. The blood flowed freely from the corpses of the fallen, and he just smiled, taking lives that deserved no punishment.

He showed no mercy to anyone.

And then all that was left was a pile of corpses that he threw into the middle of the village, his face lit up by the burning of their homes.

Shortly after that, the fires soothed and sanity began to flicker back.

As she recovered, so did he.

---

She fought long and hard, screaming and shaking in the night, sweating in her fevers. They all watched in agony, all but Sesshomaru trying to comfort her in her nightmares. He just watched, never moving from his spot, silent as death.

And slowly, she began to resurface. He could feel her miko powers radiating from her, fighting the demonic poison with all its might, and his golden eyes never once left her. In the darkest hours of night, when the others could do nothing but rest, he watched her struggle.

She lay there like that for hours – in agony, unable to escape.

But then, near the break of dawn, her eyes fluttered open and she let out a scream that chilled him to his very core, waking everyone in the household. And then her frantic eyes met his own, locking, unable to move.

The fear rolled off of her in waves, calling to him. But he didn't move, didn't break her gaze.

"Sesshomaru..." he barely heard the name slip from her lips, her voice shaking and breaking.

For a moment, he considered ending her.

He could imagine the sound of her dying breath, her warm blood spilling over his hands. He could imagine watching the life leave her eyes, the angry screams of her friends. He could even imagine the satisfaction he would feel, knowing she had died and left this world, exposing his brother to his end.

But he just closed his eyes, shutting her out.

She wouldn't die. Not today.

* * *

**A/N: For those of you who are not on Dokuga, I have great news!**

**I WON! :D Second place that is (for both categories - best darkfic/horror; best Sesshomaru portrayl), but still - amazing! I love any and all of you who voted for me, and for those who didn't, I love you for supporting my story!**

**You're getting a new chapter by the end of the week! Byes! Be good!  
**


	16. Decision

She wondered why he was still here. The only answers she could find weren't helping her in the least, and she was sure every one of her ideas for his reasons was wrong on each and every level. All she managed to do was to spike her fear with her theories, making her more anxious and nervous by the passing second. It took all her concentration just to keep on bouncing the baby in her arms, trying to calm him of his whines. But, still, she barely heard them – she barely registered that he was crying for something, whether it be attention or nourishment.

Kaoru stood up, the shifting weight making the floorboards creak underneath him and snapping Kagome from her thoughts.

"He's hungry," He announced quietly, giving his brother a forlorn look, "I'm going to go get some food for him."

She tensed, not realizing she'd stopped bouncing Ryo until he started to whine a bit louder. Holding back her sight, she began to bounce him again, giving Kaoru a look. He hadn't left… what was he waiting for?

_He's waiting for your approval. You're his leader now._

"Kaoru… I don't want you going out there alone." She managed to say, unsure of what to tell him, "Isn't he still breast-feeding, anyways? He's still so young."

"Mother stopped feeding him a while ago. He eats meats now," Kaoru recited, his voice bland, as if he were explaining something to a small child who knew no better, "He might be young, but he's not on the same schedule as your human infants are. He'll be walking soon."

She was slightly shocked, but she managed to push the feeling away, "I still… I still don't feel comfortable with you going out there on your own."

"You want my brother to starve?!" he snapped, his gaze now hardened.

She sighed, giving him a weary look.

"Take Kirara with you, at least."

He gave her a short nod, and with a small mewl the fire-cat appeared at his side, looking up at him. The cub didn't acknowledge his hunting companion, advancing towards the door not seconds after permission was given to him.

Kagome blinked.

Kaoru was gone, an unnatural wind left behind to replace him. And that was the breeze that ruffled the silver strands of hair that caught her eye, turning her gaze towards the form of Sesshomaru. He was sitting just outside the door – he hadn't moved from the spot in hours – his back towards her as her remained silent and indifferent to her affairs. Her muscles tensed at the sight of his silk clothed back, red flags taking flight in her mind. She was just waiting for him to spring, to kill her, at any second. And like any prey she was jumpy, unable to rid the thought of danger from her mind. He had promised her death, so she expected it. But yet, even with the way he saved her, took her away from death, she was not calmed. It was pure agony to watch him sit there, hour by hour, not saying a word to her or moving in the slightest. She could barely stand it any longer – why was he still here?!

_Calm down,_ The voice in her head soothed,_ He'll talk when he wants to._

Or, if he didn't feel like talking, he would murder her. A morbid part of her mind wondered which would come first, before she shook off the feeling.

"Kagome."

The miko turned her eyes to Sango, whom had managed to kneel at her side without being detected. The slayer was playing with the baby, distracting him slightly, but the whines continued on.

"How are you doing?" Sango continued, shifting to make herself comfortable on the floor of her home.

"I'm not dead yet."

In the corner of her eye, Kagome thought she saw Sesshomaru shift, finally move for the first time in hours. But she couldn't be sure of herself, as the slayer drew her back into conversation.

"What do you plan to do next?"

The miko sighed, unable to stop it from slipping between her lips. What was she going to do now? The assassin – the one she and Sesshomaru had been poisoned by – could come back. She couldn't put Miroku and Sango in the line of danger, if that was the case. They had both earned their peace, deserved to live a quiet life with the defeat of Naraku. She couldn't continue to punish them because she had been dumb enough to give InuYasha the jewel, because she had stayed with the monster he had become. It had been because of her actions that InuYasha was after her, that Koga was dead, that the assassin wanted her dead. She was the one supposed to take the punishment for her actions, not Sango and Miroku. They had already fought with her because of one of her most fatal mistakes. She wasn't going to make them do it again.

But could she just run, live out in the forest on her own with the cubs? It was a stupid thought, really. How quickly would the assassin be able to find her? A few days, a few hours? And if he didn't find her, how quickly would it take for InuYasha to track her down? Staying out on her own wasn't an option. Even, if by some miracle, the assassin or InuYasha didn't find her, something would come after them. A rouge demon, a bunch of bandits… No. She couldn't survive on her own.

Kaede's village wasn't a choice either. Kagome had personally exiled herself from the village where she had begun her journey, for the safety of the elderly miko and the townsfolk. It was the first place InuYasha would look for her, without a doubt. That was the only place she knew as home, in this world of the past. And that was exactly why she couldn't return.

"I don't know…" her voice was soft, the confusion racking her heart with pain.

* * *

His actions and decisions were all made by staying true to two different factors: His pride and his honor. Together, hand in hand, those two things kept him on the path he wanted to be on and kept him secure in his status in youkai society. Usually, his honor kept him in line, keeping him on the obvious path clear of surprises, dictating his actions in the manner that was expected from one of his power. His pride kept him strong, true to his personal goals and his beliefs. But now both of these things, which he held so high in his view, had backed him into a corner. Something in his mind, seconds before her end, had made him want to give Kagome an honorable death. But it was that action that led to the escape of her surviving assassin. His cousin, Tetsuo, would have no restraint in telling the story in the skewed view that he saw it, ruining a reputation Sesshomaru had been known for – his hatred of humans. Why, with a reputation already damaged once by Rin and now by Kagome, should he kill the miko? There was little reason to if others already doubted his hatred of the race. Would it really be right to end her and rob the cubs of their last leader?

"_What do you plan to do now?"_ the slayer's voice drifted to his ears, the whisper meaning nothing to one with hearing as sensitive as his.

There was hesitation before her answer. He knew she was thinking about her options, weighing the consequences against what she would gain on each path. And yet, he need not guess her answer. He already knew what she would say.

"_I don't know."_

Everywhere she went, without someone or something to protect her; there would be an unavoidable and undefeatable obstacle. His half brother could find her, or Tetsuo could find her. Each person would give her death, just as he had promised her from himself. He knew, just as well as she, that there was nowhere she could go. Even if InuYasha found her and spared her life, the consequence would be severe and soul-crushing. To see her after such a punishment, he would be sure to find no traces of the strong miko he once knew and fought alongside.

"Our home is open to you," the eldest woman continued, "It will always be."

"No." her answers were too predictable – he knew them before she did, "I can't put you in any more danger."

There must have been something in the miko's expression that made the slayer refrain from pressing the issue – something he was unable to see, his back being to them.

"Think about it." She requested, the following sounds indicating that she had left the room.

There was a silence shortly after that he felt no need to fill, but he was still well aware that Kagome would find the need to do so. Nevertheless, he remained silent and without movement, looking out at the little scenery there was to see in the demon slaying village that was slowly building itself back up from destruction of the past. Soon, he knew he would have to make his decision – to kill the miko, or allow her life under his control.

"Sesshomaru," her voice was small, strained with the frustration of caring for a baby, "Why… why are you still here?"

He didn't have an answer for her. However, despite his lack of response, her interrogation took little time to continue.

"Sesshomaru, please," – was she begging, or near a mental break? – "Just tell me why you're still here. I can't stand it! I'm not going to wait for you to kill me!" There was a slight pause in her voice, his eyes still drawn to the scenery as he analyzed the sounds in her speech, "…Are you even going to kill me? Why are you waiting? Get it over with, already. Kaoru is gone; Shippo and the others aren't around… Or are you just going to wait for that assassin to come back and do it for you?"

He didn't respond immediately. Standing, silver hair whipping around him, he was slow to turn and face her. But when he did, it was as if someone had laid an open book out for him. He could read her every emotion every thought. There was fear, anxiety, confusion and lingering traces of sorrow tied into overwhelming vulnerability, drawn deep into the lines of her haunted face and into the depths of her eyes. But in those brown depths hew still saw the fire, her strength. Even now, she was _still_ strong.

"Do you wish to die?" he asked slowly, taking graceful steps in advancement on her, "I will gladly fulfill your wish."

"No, Sesshomaru," the baby in her arms whined a bit louder, turning his eyes to the elder youkai, "Just… just tell me why you're still here, what you're waiting for."

"This Sesshomaru is waiting for nothing."

"Then why are you still here?!" she was nearly screaming, a fact not surprising him.

"Do you wish to travel alone, then? This Sesshomaru will leave, if that is the case."

"Wait…" she was slowly putting the pieces together, "…You're saying that you want me to travel with you?"

"I _want_ nothing. You have no other choice."

"I thought you wanted me dead!" She was angry now. Perhaps she had thought that he was leading her along, all this time?

"Killing you, or leaving you alive, is of my choice at this point. There is no gain in killing you at this time."

"But what about me being human in your youkai world, or whatever," her anger was rising, powers flaring unintentionally, silencing Ryo's cries into a shocked, silent fear, "You led me along, Sesshomaru! You made me think I was going to _die_!"

His glare silenced her, so that he might continue, "Tetsuo so moronically mistook my actions when I stopped his mission, thinking I was actually saving you. And he will report as such to his superior and others who he may speak to. Because of that, there is no need to kill you _at this moment_. InuYasha's death may come sooner, if this Sesshomaru has you to bait him as well."

She didn't seem to notice his comment regarding InuYasha, "…_'Mistook'?_"

"Contrary to your belief, I was not saving your pathetic existence from death. I intended to give you a more honorable dispatch to the afterlife by my own hand. Tetsuo's poison and lack of intelligence was what saved you from your demise."

He studied her for a moment, watching her take in the information. And although he expected an outburst, or a violent reaction, her anger calmed and Ryo's fear ebbed away. She began to bounce the child again, and he happily resumed his complaints about his hunger as she sighed.

"So, what do you say I do now?" Her voice was quiet, her gaze traveling away from his.

"We leave in the morning."


	17. Bodies

Kaoru had easily taught Kagome how to feed his younger brother. It was a simple task, since Ryo did most everything on his own. All that was needed to do was cut the meat into thin strips, about as thick as a few papers stacked together, and give it to him. The meat didn't even need to be cooked, since the wolves ate nearly everything raw. And once Ryo was done tearing and chomping away at the pieces of meat, he fell happily asleep in Kagome's arms. Kaoru ate the remainder of the meat, after cutting a few decent sized pieces off for his leader to cook for herself, and he too fell asleep at Kagome's side once he was finished. And so Kagome cooked her food over the fire, dusk turning to night, and she ate in silence. Sesshomaru remained at the door, now under the roof, resting with eyes closed even though he was not asleep. But sleep did claim Kagome soon as well, long after the fire had died.

In the morning, at the crack of dawn, Kagome would awake to the sound of Ryo's cries. And she would change him, using the cloth diapers Sango had given her – the monk and demon slayer had obviously been trying very hard for a child; they had all supplies at hand – setting aside the spoiled one to be washed.

It was hours later, when everyone was awake, that Kagome stood outside with the children, saying her goodbyes. With a sling where a baby lay across her front and a bag on her back carrying the supplies both she and the children would need, she embraced her friends and comforted her first adoptive son, who begged and begged for her to stay.

I can't stay, she would tell him, explaining that until InuYasha was gone she could never return. He claimed that he didn't care about the danger, but with a sad smile and a ruffle of his hair, Kagome said her goodbye to him, promising to come visit another day. And Sango gave her a hug, Miroku a second hug and an ass grab – "For old time's sake!" He declared, face throbbing with two red marks – and then she was off.

Sesshomaru awaited her outside the village gates.

~*~*~*~

The feeling was surreal, strangely familiar. But she welcomed the silence and the walk down a forest path as she sifted through her memories of a past journey, quietly following behind Sesshomaru with Kaoru at her side and Ryo sleeping soundly in his sling. And although she had little idea of their destination, she found no need to question Sesshomaru where they were going.

But, it seemed Kaoru had found that need.

"Sesshomaru-sama, where are you taking us?"

It seemed Sesshomaru didn't find his question worth and answer, and before Kaoru could ask further, the question answered itself.

"Kagome-neesan!"

Kaoru was taken aback by the bright voice that called for his leader, eyes falling upon a young girl who ran to embrace Kagome.

"Rin knew you would come back!"

"Shhh…" Kagome hushed with a smile, "He's sleeping."

The girl automatically quieted, craning her neck to look up at the sling Kagome wore.

"Who is that?" she whispered, barely able to get a glimpse of the baby, even on her tippy-toes.

"I'll explain later, Rin-chan."

With a beaming smile, the young child nodded, lowering herself from the tips of her toes to stand flat-footed, turning to glance over at Sesshomaru.

"Rin," the daiyoukai's voice broke through the reunion, "Gather Ah-Un and Jaken. We leave now."

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin obeyed with a giggle, scampering off through the trees to make her way back to a makeshift camp that lay ahead, the group of four following close behind.

Kaoru nearly jumped at the sight of the two headed dragon that the young girl was coaxing into a standing position. He'd never seen anything of its likes before, and truly, he was frightened. But it seemed the two-headed beast was tame, much to his relief. It was saddled and reigned, gentle to the girl's touch, and without protest when the child jumped up on its back and took the reins in hand. It was only then, when Kaoru felt no more fear from the beast, when the true horror came.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" the sound was like nothing he'd ever heard before; a high pitched squawk with the most annoying ring.

His eyes feel upon the green youkai; he wanted to hide behind Kagome almost immediately. The… _thing _couldn't be higher than his knee, but it carried a wooden staff, his grubby little hands clutching to it as he ran towards the daiyoukai. It was surprising to see that Sesshomaru was unphased by the sight of the creature, even more that he associated with such a thing.

And then it turned on him.

"_You!_" the staff was thrust accusingly towards his leader, Kaoru's eyes traveling up to watch Kagome's reaction to the imp's glare and rudeness, "Why are you here, you worthless wench?!"

"Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice halted the small youkai, and the staff found its way out of Kagome's face and back closer to him.

"Yes, m'lord?"

"They are traveling with us now." That was the end to the conversation – Jaken would dare not treat any of his "comrades," new or old, with any more disrespect that he treated Rin with.

Kagome groaned slightly, and it was a groan Kaoru knew well. His father had emitted the same sound many times, and it only met one thing.

"Stupid toad…" Kagome grumbled, "You woke up the baby."

Ryo made his own sound of discomfort as if on cue, fussing before Kagome took him into her arms.

"_Baby?!_" Jaken was screaming again, "You miserable girl! How dare you bring an abomination from the hanyo here! He and all his children are a disgrace, as well as anything that comes from his whore."

Kaoru expected Sesshomaru to react first, but the air suddenly tensed. The only thing the elder youkai did was look at Kagome with cool eyes, analyzing her. It was then that the young child looked up at his leader; he, too, tensed.

Her eyes had become distant, a near emotionless void. But somehow she was still managing a glare at the imp, making the little youkai withdraw from his initial accusation. In a slow motion, Kagome began to kneel down to Jaken's level – Kaoru took a step back immediately.

"Does this look like a hanyo baby to you, Jaken?" she asked coldly, each word pronounced slowly.

With his lack of an answer, she continued, "Well, Jaken?_ Does this look like a hanyo baby?_"

"N-no."

"Then keep your damn mouth _shut_ about InuYasha." She stood again, and began to bounce Ryo in her arms, making distance between herself and the little youkai.

Kaoru quickly returned to her side, attempting to push away the fear Kagome had lighted in him. He'd never seen any woman act in such a way towards a man, youkai or not. The display was already giving him sinking suspicions about her, letting him know she was different from the norm. But yet he still couldn't help but wonder what had sparked such a reaction in her. She hadn't seemed to be angry that the little youkai had addressed her as whore – it had been the mention of the name InuYasha.

Something in him knew who InuYasha was, flashing him back to his endless hours in a cave's hollows, trapped with his crying brother. He had thought he was going to die, then.

But how could Kagome, his very own leader, know such a man?

~*~*~

Kagome tended to the child silently, rattled by Jaken's outburst. She was surprised she had hadn't physically harmed the little youkai, the thoughts of doing so still clear in her mind. But, alongside those thoughts, others emerged, dragged from their graves by the toad's words.

_What would I have done?_ She wondered to herself, turning eyes to the ground as Ryo grabbled a bundle of her hair, _What if… I had gotten pregnant by him?_

It was a possibility, after all she'd said. It had been a straight out lie when she'd told him she could bear no child of his blood, that such a being would die within the warmth of her womb. Yes, she possessed the powers of a miko. But, truly, she didn't understand them. They weren't even hers to begin with; she'd inherited the pure powers from her past life, when Kikyo had burned herself with the Jewel. If, for some reason, Kikyo hadn't been burned with the jewel, so much would be different. She'd be living a normal life, there would have never been a jewel of power embedded in her body. And without that jewel, she would need no powers. She would have been born without them, empty and normal as any other girl, no matter that one life she had been a miko. Her powers were tied to the jewel – whoever protected it needed the power to do so. And her abilities were limited, by far. Yes, she'd gained many from her battles with the dark hanyo. But they were strictly for battle. She couldn't purify anything completely but the Jewel, shards or whole. Through her arrows she could purify a demon to dust, but it was fueled by raw instinct. With her hands she could only burn – she wasn't even strong enough to rid a human of his or her demons, nor evaporate the weakest poison.

A hanyo could grow in her womb. She knew it well, she feared it. Anything with her blood would undeniably make it's nine months of growth unharmed.

_You aren't pregnant,_ her mind insisted.

Maybe it was true. But how could she ever rid herself of the fear?

-----

Caring for three children (Rin had latched onto her like a leech, giving her yet another mothering duty under the protection of Sesshomaru) was tiring. And since three days of their departure from the slayer's village, Kagome had managed the task quite well. Sesshomaru helped her little and left her be, but Rin jumped at every chance there was to help her with the baby. Kaoru remained the same, silent and helpful. Kagome had made little grounds on befriending the boy, but she couldn't be blamed. There was too much on her plate for her to be able to do everything perfectly.

"Kagome-neechan…" Rin whined from atop Ah-Un's back, holding Ryo in her arms, "…He won't let go of Rin's hair!"

Kagome smiled slightly, assisting the girl in untangling Ryo's hand from her black hair.

"Babies like to grab hair," she commented, "If you're going to hold him, you'll have to get used to it."

Rin grumbled something incoherent in response, but continued to hold the child. Kagome ruffled the young girl's hair with another small smile, pushing it behind her back so that the baby might not grab hold of it for another few minutes. Ryo giggled and shoved his fist into his mouth.

"Stay here."

The small caravan stopped abruptly at Sesshomaru's words, Kaoru bumping into Kagome's side.

"Where are you going, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin questioned, kicking her legs lightly against Ah-Un's saddle.

She didn't receive an answer, but seemed unsurprised. It was then that Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder, golden eyes coming to rest on the miko.

"Come, miko," he ordered, "The infant shall be cared for by his brother."

Almost immediately, Ryo was switched to his brother's hold. And Kagome was given no choice but to follow the daiyoukai as he began to walk away, those to remain behind setting up a small camp under Jaken's incessant, squawking orders.

What was going on?

---

They both stood in silence, looked down on the bloody scene. The village was below them, at the base of the hill, but the smoke was still suffocating. The huts and homes were smoldering from what had to have once been a large, raging fire; the outskirts of the small valley and forests were singed. Kagome couldn't quite understand why they were watching this. The village was quite, so it had to be deserted.

What was Sesshomaru's point in taking here.

"Come, miko," he ordered again, beginning to walk down the hill side, "You will see with your own eyes what InuYasha has done."

_InuYasha…?_

Had he set this village a fire? Could Sesshomaru's eyes see something through the smoke that she could not? Only moments later did she see what he had spotted, smelled, and she was depositing the contents of her stomach quite painfully.

There was a mountain of bodies before her, blood coated and mutilated. All were there – the old, the young, the strong, and the weak. And all of them seemed to be staring at her with the same empty eyes, haunting her, accusing her.

_It's not your fault._

She ignored the voice. She knew it was her fault, believed that it was. If she hadn't gone with Koga, if she hadn't tried to escape InuYasha, none of this wouldn't have happened. These people would still be alive and well, their village still living.

"InuYasha…" she fell to her knees, a new wave a nausea hitting as the name she said so rarely slipped through her lips.

"He's beyond help now," Sesshomaru announced, nudging the body of a young man with his foot, "Look at these corpses, miko. See what he has done, and know that he deserves death."

_I know…_ For once, her mind was empty except for her own voice, _I know…_

How could he have done this? She didn't want to believe it. There were children in this pile of death, for god's sake! She wanted to believe InuYasha still was InuYasha, that he hadn't been consumed completely. But it was all wishes, and she knew it. Yet, still, she didn't want to let go of the man she once loved. She wanted to hang on as tight as she could, as if that would cure him.

But his only cure was death. There was no way to deny that.

She heard the silk of Sesshomaru's clothing move, and her gaze turned up to see him. Instead, she met gaze with different golden eyes, so different than the ones she'd ever seen before.

"So, he spoke the truth…" the woman who stood before Sesshomaru's voice was quiet, smooth, amused, "…Oh, Sesshomaru, I would have never thought this of you?! After all, where has your hate of humans gone? Has that little girl softened you up? Are you, like your Father, chasing humans now?"

What was the woman doing? She'd be killed if she kept on going on like this!

Sesshomaru's hand remained still at his side, he didn't show any signs of anger. There was no growl, no threat in anything he did. The daiyoukai just remained still, silent.

_He knows her._ The voice was back, accompanying the abused miko in her mind.

"Haha-ue," Sesshomaru address to the woman nearly sent Kagome toppling over in shock, "What is your business here?"


	18. A Mother's Place

Every living being on the earth has a mother. Whether she is present or not, you still have her. Nothing can change the fact that it was she who gave birth to you, regardless of her cruelty or kindness, her fairness or injustice. Kagome knew this well, but the thought of Sesshomaru's mother – or Sesshomaru even _having_ a mother – had never crossed her mind. She has assumed that the female was either non-existent or dead. But never in her life would she have ever expected herself to be standing just feet away from the woman, the living, breathing woman. And she was beautiful, a female reflection of her son. Silver hair that was long and flowing, shining like the moon, and markings that she wore like a crown or symbol, her golden eyes tinted with the power she held. But in these golden eyes, ones like she'd never seen before, there was something new. Humor? Playfulness?

She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Oh, it's been quite a while since I've seen a sight like this," the woman said softly, turning to the pile of corpses and gazing at it as if it were a work of art.

"Haha-ue, why are you here?" Sesshomaru repeated, his tone strained by obvious annoyance. Kagome got the sinking suspicion that he wasn't on good terms with his relatives, whether they be living or dead.

"Can I not visit my own son as I wish?" She demanded, spinning back around on her heel to face him, "It has been quite some time since I have seen you, as wel—"

"Speak no more. I have indeed sought you out and visited you recently, upon my searches for the answers of Tenseiga's secrets," His eyes narrowed, his voice slow and strong, "Do not make me repeat myself."

She gave an exasperated sigh, glaring up at him, "I came to see your half-brother's handiwork, is all."

Sesshomaru moved his center of gravity just a fraction, almost as if he were recoiling from her statement, "What is it that you have to do with that disgrace?"

A smirk played its way across her face; she seemed to enjoy Sesshomaru's discomfort, "Who do you think removed Tetsusaiga's seal? It wasn't your Father, after all."

Kagome could see it in his golden depths – she had just pissed Sesshomaru off.

"Haha-ue, you dared to remove Chichi-ue's seals from his fang?" There was a force to every syllable, as if he were ready to break out at her. The miko could literally feel his youki rolling off of him in angry waves, the feeling churning her stomach. This was a true danger she'd never experienced before. Sesshomaru was pissed off and in a state where she could predict no outcome. And her mind was telling her to run, to get the hell away, but she was frozen still on the ground.

"I merely followed your father's wishes, dearest son of mine," It was all too obvious that she was mocking him, turning her back on him and staring at the corpses again, admiring the sight, "He wanted his youngest son to have Tetsusaiga and to be able to use it. All I did was make sure his wishes were kept up."

"Chichi-ue wished that InuYasha , his _hanyo_ son, would have the Fang so it would stabilize the demon blood within him and prevent a transformation which the idiot has willingly made permanent. And now, because of your actions, a mindless youkai now wields a sword of destruction. Do you have the faintest idea of what you have done, Haha-ue?"

_Tetsusaiga…_

It was then that Kagome finally analyzed the scene around her, taking in the destruction. And it was all too obvious that she had missed the most important detail; the evidence was out before her like an open book. The scars of the wind were embedded in the earth, the winds having torn all vegetation away from now bare trees and skeletal plant life. The scars from the blade were everywhere, long, jagged cuts through what remained of burned and burning buildings. And the bodies before her were the best evidence. She'd seen the wounds they wore in death on the demons she had defeated in the past with InuYasha at her side. Everywhere there was the destruction of the Fang, the sword of protection that was being wrongly used.

She was sick.

_He's stronger… so much stronger…_ Her mind commented, just as fearful as she.

"Are you afraid of him, then, Sesshomaru?" the female daiyoukai asked, spinning back around to face him, "Are you angry that I have made him too powerful to take down?"

"This Sesshomaru fears no one," His voice had never been colder.

And then she just smirked, reaching out and cupping his cheek in her palm.

"You feared your Father."

It was a whisper Kagome just barely heard through her nausea, a sight she took in with unbelieving eyes. And when she expected the woman to recoil, she just smirked and mocked the proud youkai lord.

But then, quicker than the miko could see, the mother of Sesshomaru was sprawled out on the ground, Sesshomaru's hand held up as he had just struck her. And he had indeed done such; poison dripped from his talons and sizzled as it hit the dirt beneath him. The woman's face then began to sizzle as well, the three jagged cuts from where he had sliced her trickling blood that ran down her face and stained her kimono and skin. The poison was literally burning into her flesh, spreading through her system and enlarging the site of injury.

_He… He just __**hit**__ her. _

"If I ever feared Chichi-ue, I was right to do so," he said slowly, pronouncing each syllable with a tone that sent shivers down her spine, "You, Haha-ue, should remember your place. InuYasha was, and is, no worry of yours. Breaking the seal upon our Father's fang was a fatal mistake that rests upon your shoulders, and if you were not the one who birthed me, I would have killed you on the spot for this insolence. You shall speak no more of what Chichi-ue wants or may have wanted. As your leader and his eldest heir, it of my duty to carry out his wishes to what I see them as. And now I warn you, Haha-ue, that one more action like this will be your last. This Sesshomaru has no hesitation in killing those who defy, no matter of relation. I am more than willing to dispose of you myself."

It was hard for Kagome to believe what she was seeing as mother and son danced on these dangerous grounds. She'd been aware for years that Sesshomaru had a bit of a superiority complex, but it seemed that there was a true standing behind it. This scene before her was proof. He could lay hand upon his own mother without immediate retaliation, and both he and she were knowing of who was the stronger.

"Ungrateful pup!" the woman spat, unable to get to her feet as her son blocked the action on one side, her other side blocked by the pile of bodies, "You have no idea what your Father wanted or what standing he left you—"

"This Sesshomaru is your leader," he cut in, "And my word will not be rebelled against without retaliation. I advise you to keep your silence, Haha-ue."

There was a moment of silence that was crushing down on all three members of the village, the female daiyoukai struggling to find herself some dignity in her situation.

"Fine then," it seemed she had found little as she gathered herself to her feet, Sesshomaru allowing her to do so by retreating a single step, "But, my son, you will fail if you keep protecting the weak, like her," She shot a glare at Kagome before returning her golden gaze to Sesshomaru, "But perhaps it is your destiny to die for a mortal and her child, as well. Become your Father if you wish, Sesshomaru_-sama_."

She was gone before Kagome could gather what the daiyoukai had just said.


	19. Freedom

Traveling no longer did him any good. Every passing second his mind continued to betray him, his sanity seemed to slip away. He needed something. Something besides Kagome to calm him. A temporary cure to cleanse his mind. Thinking straight was key, and now he could barely do such a simple thing.

To his ears, he could hear the bustling of a far away city; as loud as if he were standing at its center. There were few cities near the areas he traveled, but this was here. And if he quenched his thirst for blood, it would lift the fog that clouded his mind. But that was not what he thirsted for here. He thirsted for something… something he had always had when Kagome was around.

A body. Not a body to harm, necessarily, but a body. Something he could claim, he could touch, he could tear and rip to shreds. Something that responded to what he did to it, though he would never harm it to a point where it would lose life. A female body. Something he could truly make his – and only his. Cities had women, of all types. It was simple, really, what he was looking for.

_You sick fuck._

But no plan could be complete without an annoying comment coming from the mind that hated him so much.

"Shut up. What I do is none of your damn concern."

_You're talking to yourself again, you crazy son of a bitch._

"Just shut your damn mouth!" his voice was a rasping, demanding whisper. It showed none of the desperation he felt to have silence in his mind, but it was obvious that frustration would soon come over him. Though the voice spoke less and less, it grew more annoying every time it did make its opinion known.

By stroke of luck, there was no retaliation in response. He sighed contently, only to hear the voice snicker.

He cursed colorfully under his breath.

But by the end of the hour he came upon a large village, big enough to nearly be a city. It was dark and the moonlight was the only light; the streets deserted except for the sleeping homeless and drunks. Only one building shone lights from the inside and out of habit he began to drift over to it. Vaguely, he recalled the memories of traveling with the people he had betrayed. They would come to these places and Miroku would fabricate fake demons in the largest, richest home. And, if they were lucky, they'd get a good place to sleep for the night. But just as he delved into the memories into detail, so deep that he could feel what he had felt back then, he recoiled. Remembering the way he had felt like then – _Fearing your memories now, coward? _– would do him no good. He had to live in now, not then. Then… Then would lead him back to weakness. Back to being pathetic. Back to being hanyo.

He couldn't allow that. He just couldn't. He had given up too much to get to this point.

The human figment in his mind was angry and disgusted at him. InuYasha did not seem to care much as he began to climb the set of three steps into the building, listening to the bustling inside as they heard his footsteps.

Silently, his demon traits shielded by shadows and a bowed head, he entered the brothel .

--

He kept his trained eyes away from the marks on her face, staring only into her eyes. And she kept her golden eyes on him, tempting him to even glance at the injury. For a long moment they sat in the silence together, waiting for the other to speak, daring the other to do something.

Relief flooded Tetsuo when she spoke, the tension disappearing.

"So, dearest nephew, I investigated your claims," she said slowly, propping her elbow up on her arm rest and resting the side of her head in her palm, "And I thought I would be shocked to find it true. But I didn't."

He bowed his head slightly, not daring to get up from his one-knee kneeling position.

"I am glad you have seen it for yourself, my Lady."

"Hn," she was not particularly interested in him, he noticed, lost in her own world of thought and turning her head so she held her chin in her hand with her eyes away from him. It seemed like ages before she spoke again.

"What do you want me to tell you, Tetsuo."

He jumped on the opportunity immediately.

"That I may go after your son, my Lady, and punish him for his treason against his kind and family."

She seemed to find this hilarious, laughing softly and turning her gaze back to him, amused.

"You want permission to go after Sesshomaru, do you?" she stood gracefully, walking to him. He kept his head bowed respectfully, not daring to turn his eyes up to her, "Tell me, boy, what do you think he will do to you if you fail?"

He repressed the emotions that threatened to surface at the thoughts and imagery her question brought to his mind. Sesshomaru did not take kindly to mere disrespect. The men who annoyed him found themselves injured or dead. He had only barely escaped the man before by luck. Being alive now was a fluke. And if he was to go after him again, he wouldn't have that luck.

"He will kill me." He answered simply with a quiet voice.

"Kill you? Why, you're smarter than you look!" she exclaimed with a smirk, motioning for him to stand so she could look him in the face as she spoke, "And he will not make it quick. He likes blood, that boy of mine. He'll torture you. Your death will last hours. Perhaps he'll inject his poison into you, dose by dose, until you lose all grasp on your sanity. Or maybe he will tear you limb from limb from limb, detaching each piece of flesh from every single joint. And if I do remember correctly, he did seem to take liking to breaking every bone in the body before slowly killing the victims whom came after him as a teenager. Ah, my sadistic little boy…" the woman was obviously having fun, trying to provoke emotion she knew she would not receive from the assassin son of her sister. But then, suddenly, her strange carefree emotion turned to that of seriousness in a flash, "Tetsuo, you are a fool."

His jaw clenched together, "Perhaps."

"To think you can defeat my son, heir to his father's power! It is laughable, really."

He didn't give her emotion. Carefully, with restraint, he let her insult him.

"However…" he watched a smirk come to her face, knowing that the thoughts were forming together in her brain in ways he would never understand, "…With a little help, you might have a small, pathetic excuse for a chance."

"Any help from my Lady would be appreciated."

She smiled with unrecognizable emotion, "Said like the obedient little boy I wish Sesshomaru would be."

He had no response from her, but nevertheless, she allowed the pause to pass by before she spoke again. But first, she turned her back on him, going over to lounge back in her throne once again.

"Search out InuYasha."

Shock slipped through his imperfect mask.

"InuYasha, my Lady?" he asked slowly, "Why should I search out the hanyo?"

She laughed openly at him before throwing her insult his way.

"For an assassin, you are rather unintelligent."

Retaliation died in his throat. As much as he would like to comment back to her, to make himself not to be made a fool of, he knew it would not be permitted. He knew his place and she was high above him.

"InuYasha, the bastard son of Sesshomaru's father, is no longer tainted by human blood," she explained, "The interesting little thing used the power of Midoriko's Shikon No Tama to turn himself fully youkai. But unbeknownst to him, in doing so he signed his own death warrant. But, either way, you should be wise and take advantage of him while you can. His hate of my son runs deep. Especially now that his older brother stole his precious little toy miko from him."

Tetsuo could barely imagine it. Working alongside the whelp his whole family had despised for so many years and that Sesshomaru himself had barred from the family's privileges. He knew only of the boy through word of mouth, but as an assassin, he knew more than most of the other indirect family members to the once-hanyo knew. Required to know about every member of his own family, of every man or woman born to youkai blood without prejudice to their youkai race, Tetsuo had briefly learned of the bastard son to the then Inu No Taisho.

_Name: InuYasha  
Age: Unknown  
Residence: None  
Heritage: Half dog demon  
Parentage: The Inu No Taisho and the human Mistress Izayoi  
Siblings: Sesshomaru, first son of the Inu No Taisho (Half-brother)  
-Golden eyes, Silver hair  
-Receiver and wielder to his Father's Fang, Tetsusaiga  
-Defeated the hanyo Naraku_

A simple profile. They had given him no more than that, and no one he had ever encountered knew even that much. Just a name, a ghost to the family. Sesshomaru was the only one, bound by honor and duty, to even remotely take care of the hanyo besides the boy's own mother. And by this, the daiyoukai had merely ensured the child lived before he became past puberty in respect for his father. But other than that there was nothing.

"So, go out and find him, Tetsuo," the woman continued on, "But be warned: InuYasha is unstable. He is stronger than you as well, though not as skilled. Be careful around him if you wish for his help and to live."

He could only nod, muttering a thanks.

"Now, get out of here," she demanded with a wave of her hand, "I have better things to tend to."

The assassin was gone in the second.

--

Kagome was quiet on their return back to the others. Sesshomaru was angry, she could tell that much even with his lack of expression. But she was disturbed and unsure of what to do. InuYasha had murdered them – every woman, child, man, and elder.

_He's not the InuYasha you love._

No, he wasn't. He wasn't the man she had fallen in love with. The man she had fallen in love with was strong, brash, and ignorant. But he had saved her so many times, come to every beckon and every scream of "InuYasha!" that had left her lips. He had been sweet sometimes, sympathetic others. He had once been someone lost and hurt, but she had begun to heal that. Yes, he had been confused between her and Kikyo. Yes, he had betrayed her and broken her heart. But she had loved him. She had given him her heart, her everything. She had thought he was healed, sometimes. She had thought he just might have loved her back the same way she loved him.

Why had everything fallen apart? Truly, _why_? There had been so many smiles they had shared together, so many priceless moments, so many tragedies and tears. So many battles, so much blood, so much hurt. Some laughs, some screams. Maybe just a little bit of love. Maybe, just a few times, they had been on the same page as each other.

_And now you're in two completely different books._

She wanted to scream to the skies, to tear her hair out. But most of all, she wanted him.

She wanted InuYasha.

_You want InuYasha. Not Youkai InuYasha. _

Youkai.

How many times had she called him that? After so many nights of sex that was almost rape, after so many hits that were abuse, after so many nights of tears he didn't care about?

And then she realized it: Youkai and InuYasha were two different beings.

InuYasha – her first love, the hanyo boy that had lost his mother and had been betrayed by Kikyo. The hanyo that she had shared many journeys with, too many experiences with that she would mourn the loss of every day. He, InuYasha, was the man she loved. The hanyo, the everything. The boy shot to the tree, the boy on the other side of the well. The man her friends thought was her delinquent and cheating boyfriend. The brother Souta wished he had. The father figure Shippo looked up to and fought with like family. The friend of Miroku. The ironic friend of Sango. The love-hate sibling of Sesshomaru. The son to Izayoi. The master of Tetsusaiga. The everything of her feudal fairy tale.

Youkai – the ghost of InuYasha. The shell of what she wished she had. The evil, sadistic thing that saw her as a play toy. The fear of the friends InuYasha used to have. The power hungry beast. The blood thirsty monster. The rapist. The abuser. The manipulator.

And who did that remind her of? Youkai's description; who did it match?

_Naraku._

And then, suddenly, the images separated in her mind. There was InuYasha, and there was Youkai. Two different things. She loved one, not the other.

The other. _The other_. _**The other**_.

She hated the other.

She loved InuYasha.

She hated Youkai InuYasha.

And then she was free of the chains, of his red eyes, of his jagged magenta stripes, of his blood stained talons.

_Free._

The thought was hers, and only hers. She was alone in her mind again.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took so long. Life is life. Hopefully it won't take so long next time.**


	20. Agreement

He searched. Days and nights passed, hours flew by at speeds he did not seem to understand. But every where he looked no one had heard of a red clad youkai - only, on rare occasion, would a child, man, or woman jump up and ask if he was talking about the hanyou InuYasha who had saved their village.

One person, though, had stood out in his mind. A little girl with a head of silver-blue hair, two bows of turquoise resting on either side of her head, had come up to him when he had stopped to ask about InuYasha. Disguised as a human, he was shocked when she had spoken to him.

_Youkai-sama, why are you searching for InuYasha?_

One moment he had been surprised. The next he was revealing the true form he took as a youkai human. Black hair turned silver, markings appeared on pale skin. The youki he used to suppress these traits disappeared and some people screamed and ran from him, others stood and watched in fear. But the little girl with her dark skin and light purple eyes just stared up at him.

The little girl was hanyou, he soon realized. Bat hanyou.

_You know InuYasha?_

She had smiled at his question.

_He helped me and my mother once._

Of course. When ever he came across anyone who knew InuYasha, the hanyou had helped them once in the past. He had either saved a village, exterminated a demon, or helped them in their dilemmas. He was not particularly interested in what the once-hanyou had done to help this little girl. And for once it seemed she did not seem particularly interested in telling him what happened.

_Why do you search for him? Is he in trouble?_

Interesting. She actually cared for him. But then again, a hanyou should stand by another hanyou.

_I simply must speak to him._

In a strange action the little girl had smiled up at him as a woman, whom must have been her mother, called out her name.

_If you find him- _she turned slightly, going over to her mother _-tell him Shiori and her mother have been better ever since he came across us._

There had been other happenings after that. Humans who knew his name and the miko's, who wondered if they would ever come around again. And it seemed that they all near worshiped them, that their lives had been better off now that they had encountered the rag-tag group that had once searched to kill Naraku. And sometimes Tetsuo would wonder if InuYasha would have made the choice to be youkai if he had known what his actions had done to these people. Yet, every time these thoughts came, he always found himself with the same answer. If InuYasha had known, he would still be what he was today. There had been too much that being youkai had promised, too much temptation to turn away.

InuYasha might just be as cold hearted as his brother.

Just maybe.

He continued to track regardless, his only trail left in destruction. The villages he came across in fire or ruin was what InuYasha left behind for him. One had a pile of bodies in the middle, others had everything burnt down and killed but the residents left to die from starvation.

And then, after near a week of searching, he caught the scent. However, it seemed InuYasha had caught his first.

"Why have you been following me, asshole?"

It was a voice that came from the nothingness one night, freezing Tetsuo in his tracks. From the branches the assassin gracefully fell to touchdown on the dirt road, ears perked to the surroundings.

"Come out, InuYasha," he said quietly to nothing, wary and cautious.

For the first time in years he had been caught off guard. And by a newborn youkai, none the less. Maybe he would have been furious with himself in another situation, but now there was no time for such things.

"Keh."

The sound was low, barely audible. There was a rustle of the leaves and a soft step of feet to follow, making Tetsuo's hair stand straight on the back of his neck. It was strange to feel frightened and the sudden shock that came with the emotion was almost stronger than the previous fear.

Why was he afraid? What was there to fear?

There was a sudden burst and wave of youki so unexpected that it nearly sent Tetsuo to his knees. It flashed him back to memories of Sesshomaru and of Sesshomaru's Mother. So strong. So daunting.

And to think, it was radiating from a mutated youkai that used to be a hanyou.

"What do you want with me?"

The sound came from behind, but Tetsuo didn't dare turn to face him. Instead the assassin took immediate notice of his surroundings. The scents flooded his nose, the sights were taken in by sharp eyes, and the youki was studied by his own. But there was a scent that made him curious. A memory was triggered by it, just as the youki had done, but the memory was not near as abrupt or unexpected.

Inu No Taisho. He had walked the halls regally, dauntingly, so much taller than the assassin had been as a child.

A golden stare. Speculating amber depths, filled with wisdom. Silver hair flowing down his shoulders and back, slightly creased from the tie he usually pulled it back with. Pale skin, jagged purple stripes painted across his cheekbones. Strong, tall body, toned over the many centuries the man had fought through. And all of that was the Inu No Taisho, physically. Tetsuo knew only that of him from the only memory that ever showed the legend's face.

A smile smile had been turned to him, revealing white fangs. And then the youkai had simply walked right passed him, out onto the balcony of his son's Mother's castle, and jumped into the skies and disappeared. In childish horror - so fitting for the young child the assassin had been - Tetsuo might have thought the man had jumped to his doom. But then he had caught a glimpse of the daiyoukai in the so far off distance, flying away.

So why was he remembering the man know? What triggered such a response?

"Unless you want your goddamn head lopped off right now, bastard, answer my damn question!" InuYasha's gruff voice broke him from his thoughts, the ring of metal echoing as the man drew a sword.

Tetsusaiga - the fang of the Inu No Taisho. It was from there that the dead man's scent so faintly drifted off of.

"Calm yourself, InuYasha," Tetsuo said slowly, gracefully and cautiously turning himself to face the man he had sought out, "I simply wish to speak to you."

The boy growled at him, holding Tetsusaiga in a sloppy stance, "Well, hurry the hell up."

Tetsuo felt frustration blooming behind his eyes, but he held the emotion back.

_But be warned: InuYasha is unstable._

He would have to abide by his Aunt's words if he wished for success. But he would not be such a fool as to not study his opponent, a potential and deadly rival, as he spoke.

"InuYasha, first I must introduce myself. I am Tetsuo, a youkai assassin under the clan that your honorable Father once took charge of."

InuYasha growled again, allowing Tetsuo to take notice of his features. Untamable silver hair that was almost grey, large jagged magenta stripes across his cheekbones, tanned skin, and golden eyes that reminded him of the Inu No Taisho.

"So, you're some idiot servant of Sesshomaru," he commented, "He sent you to off me, didn't he? Good luck with that, you son of a bitch."

"You are incorrect, InuYasha," - Tetsuo's eyes carefully watched how Tetsusaiga swayed with InuYasha's varying emotions, how the boy's claws tensed and his muscles flexed - "I come here to speak only to you. Sesshomaru-sama did not send me."

The once-hanyou didn't seem to buy it in the slightest. He swung Tetsusaiga's blade angrily to cut the air, the sword's youki bursting and pulsing slightly.

"Don't fuck around, bastard. Get to the point." His eyes were growing red, tainted with powers brought on by impatience.

Tetsuo knew to avoid this.

"Sesshomaru-sama has committed treason against his own kind and it has become my duty to dispatch of him. But Sesshomaru-sama is stronger than an assassin such as I, trained in my own way and all others that you may be able to think of. His Mother, intent on seeing that he pays punishment for what he has done, has suggested that I come speak with you, InuYasha."

The red faded but Tetsusaiga stay ready in InuYasha's hands.

"Why would she send you to me? What the hell did Sesshomaru do? Where is he?"

"Sesshomaru-sama's whereabouts are unknown. He has commited treason by protecting the human mortal entrusted with leadership of a wolf tribe. It is an action that cannot be ignor-"

"What human?"

InuYasha's curiousness in the situation paused Tetsuo in his speech, instead of continuing on as he usually would when interrupted.

"...Why are you curious?" he asked slowly, "Matters of such easily disclosed to oth-"

"Stop the crap and answer me." As InuYasha spoke, Tetsuo blinked.

And then InuYasha wasn't there any more. Immediately, the assassin went on the defensive. But he was a second too late. A blade was at his throat, an arm pinning him against another like an iron bar.

"_Answer me_."

Tetsuo managed to keep his calm.

"The answer you seek you already know. You were the one who killed Kouga-san. In turn, before you ever so gracefully lopped off his head, he entrusted his lands to a woman you know well."

"_Kagome._" The name came out as a growl and the blade stayed at the assassin's throat, "Where the hell is she?"

"I do not know," he chose his words carefully, "But she is not my concern. Sesshomaru-sama is."

InuYasha growled once more, shoving Tetsuo away to stumble and regain his footing.

"Why did you come to me?" he demanded, seething.

"Because you want Sesshomaru dead and you wish for the return of your pet Kagome," absent-mindedly, Tetsuo brushed the dirt off his clothing and dropped the respect that most used when speaking Sesshomaru's name, "And, together, we can overcome Sesshomaru."

InuYasha watched him carefully. After a few trying moments, after silence that nearly worried the assassin, Tetsusaiga was slowly returned to its place at the once-hanyou's side.

"I'll help you get rid of that stuck up asshole," he announced, "But the girl is _mine_."

Tetsuo just smirked.

"Of course she is."


	21. The Third Fang

Ryo was sleeping soundly in Kagome's arms in an afternoon nap, his elder brother following right alongside the miko. At Kaoru's side was Rin, who chatted at a light speed with the young boy, her newest friend calmly listening. And Kagome was content in this moment, ignoring the throbbing of sore feet. Little had happened in the last few days, marked from the time she and Sesshomaru had returned from the horrid massacre. She found only one discomfort in herself, catching herself half-wishing her mind would speak back to her again. Its leaving had left her with a feeling of strange loneliness, as if a dear friend had suddenly been yanked from her life. The voice, whatever it was, had been that friend in the darker times of being InuYasha's slave girl. It had spoken to her, comforted her, kept her in check with her sanity. And now – _poof_ – it was gone. Her mind was silent. She was awkward in freedom, insecure in herself and floating around in the strange leftovers of her non-existent schizophrenia.

But she would survive, regardless. She had to. She had reasons to now.

And as if on cue with her thoughts, Ryo shifted in his sling and pressed closer to the warmth he found cuddled close to her body. Carefully and softly she reached down and touched the baby's soft skin, tracing invisible patterns and lines over his face for the briefest moment. She could hardly wrap her mind around how small he was, so fragile. But yet he was not so, for he was stronger than any baby she could birth from her own body or find in another place. On many occasions she found herself forgetting he was demon until he chomped down on her finger with a sharp fang, shocking her back into reality. And at times she found herself wondering how she could raise a youkai infant and his older brother correctly. The boys' family was gone, as was her overzealous and kind wolf prince. Really, there was only Sesshomaru. She was doubtful she could find much help in him with such a matter.

But over these last five days – the last four nights filled with nightmares of bodies piled atop of one another, some taking life and screaming for her to help them as she remained motionless and frightened – she had found herself making progress with the daiyoukai. It was small, nearly insignificant, but it was something. Ever since they had both come across the scene of crime and had been confronted by the mother of the Killing Perfection, things had ever so slowly begun to take change.

Firstly, there was a conversation.

"_You must forget him."_

The words had slipped through Sesshomaru's mouth on a night when they had decided to travel, Kagome much to frightened from previous nightmares to go back to sleep and Sesshomaru claiming he needed no such thing. The miko had been walking beside Ah-Un, two sleeping children hanging off the dragon's back and a baby sound asleep in her sling. She had known who he was talking about without any specification. It was simple. Him: InuYasha.

"_I know."_

Her answer was quiet, accompanied only by the leaves that rustled in a night's breeze.

"_He is no longer the InuYasha you know," _– perhaps he had thought her statement false, or simply backed with no real emotion to prove that she really understood – _"He will kill you if he cannot have you for himself. He will kill you if he can have you for himself."_

She had nodded, gazing up through a break in the trees to let the moon's rays fall upon her paled face, lighting up the light scars that littered her face, faded so finely they were hard to see.

"_He isn't InuYasha. I've known that for a while."_

A moment of silence. He speculated her quietly in that silence, allowing the turnings of his mind to fold her inside out and back again. And she had wondered if she really was just a book to him, her pages open for him to see and read her innermost secrets and thoughts.

"_You have accepted that." _

Never a question. Only statements laced with wisdom that came from his perfect observations.

"_Yes, I have."_

"_He must been killed."_

"…_I know that."_

How strange it had felt to have those words roll off her tongue like they didn't tear her apart inside, like they meant nothing. Those words had been spoken so calmly, acceptance and a lack of caring placed in her tone, that she might have thought she had stolen Sesshomaru's mask for just that second. And for that second only, for then it began to hurt knowing she had said that so easily.

He had said no more to her that night. And no other night did they have a conversation like that. Still, there had been more progress. The next step had taken place during a happening instead of words.

Rin had been skipping alongside Sesshomaru, sometimes getting too far ahead only to fall back to his side without being told to. The sun had been shining bright above them and in the little girl's smile, Ryo had been a happy infant, and Kaoru had been a content child. Sesshomaru had been quiet, his golden gaze following Rin's antics with only a flicker of amusement or interest. Kagome had been fine, haunted still but happy. And, wistfully, she had wondered if this peace was because Jaken was gone, sent off by Sesshomaru to do something-or-another.

Abruptly, in the middle of the path that only Sesshomaru knew, the daiyoukai had come to a complete stop. Rin acted immediately out of habit, stopping her skipping and falling back behind him, scrambling up on Ah-Un's back. Kaoru had followed her lead with only a simple sentence from the girl – _"c'mon, Kaoru!" ­_– and Kagome was left in confusion. But only seconds later she found her answer and a new youki came to her senses. It took her no more than a millisecond to figure out whom it belonged to.

Tetsuo.

Body frozen in fear, she had not been able to move. They might have all stood there, battle ready and tense, for five or ten minutes. Kagome had not been aware enough to know for sure how time passed. But as the pulsing of the assassin's youki faded to nothing, her body had calmed.

Her eyes turned to Sesshomaru's back, seeing the picture of his perfect body at absolute calm, his eyes skyward to gaze at a set of clouds that hovered almost like a painting in the blue sky.

"_Tetsuo, you are a fool."_

The words were not meant to be received by anyone and they left Kagome in confusion.

"_Sesshomaru…?" _

He had given her no immediate response, taking the time he had wished for himself before speaking.

"_He is reporting back to his Lady. For now, he will leave you undisturbed until he is given further instruction."_

His lady. Sesshomaru's mother.

After that, the remaining three days passed without incident. There were days filled with small chatter between children and Kagome, days of absences of the little green youkai. No one seemed to care he was gone, beside the occasional _"Where is Jaken-sama, Sesshomaru-sama?" _from Rin's kind lips. She never did obtain an answer from her lord, however.

That was until present day, when Kagome walked with Ryo in her arms as she fed him thin strips of meat and the child smiled happily up at her as he ate. With an ear shattering screech that was followed by Kagome's and Kaoru's synchronized groans, Jaken reappeared in front of his Lord, clutching the Staff of Two Heads with his grubby little hands. Sesshomaru did not stop for him when he stood in his path, instead simply stepping on the toad and continuing forward.

Oh, how abused Jaken tended to be.

"M'lord! M'lord!" he called, quickly gathering himself to his feet and running after his Master with his short and stubby legs, "I have seen the third sword, Sou'nga!"

Perhaps time stopped completely in that moment. Sesshomaru froze in his tracks, Kagome froze in her own as well. Rin looked confused, Jaken's worry and stress was apparent now. Only Ryo, Kaoru, and Ah-Un seemed unaffected by the news and confused as to everyone else's reactions.

With graceful, deadly movements, Sesshomaru turned on his heel to face his wide-eyed servant. The daiyoukai's golden gaze was hard, his muscles tensed beneath fine silk clothing.

"Sou'nga is gone. Dispatched from this world. Taken to hell and secured by Chichi-ue." His words were ice, laced with confidence and finality.

Kagome knew that was true as well. She had seen it herself – a blast of white and blue white as a ghostly man appeared in an orb's radiant glow, the shocked and unbelieving look on both brothers' faces as a man of perfect stature revealed himself to them once more after centuries. The battle where the brothers had been forced to work together to defeat a corrupted sword. The guilt and jealousy fueled battle Takemaru had carried out against the hanyo son of his love and the second, elder child of the youkai he hated.

"But I have seen it with my own eyes, Sesshomaru-sama! I swear it to you! I went to the village like you told me to and spoke to the elderly woman…" At his words, Kagome's eyes grew wider. Had he spoken to Kaede? "…and just as I left, a dirty human man caught my sight. He was digging within the depths of the destroyed well! There was a burst of light and he came out of it with the sword in hand, entangled with the ropes that fed into his skin! I swear it, m'lord! He was possessed!"

"Sou'nga is gone," Sesshomaru said once more, "Whatever thoughts have possessed you, Jaken, they are filled with deceit."

But then a memory flashed back to Kagome. A night with Rin, left behind by Sesshomaru, and the others around a campfire. A night where Totosai and the spirit Saya had told them the story of what had happened after the Inu No Taisho's death.

_He had left no instructions of what to do with Sou'nga, _Totosai had recited, _So we threw it in a well that was rumored to swallow up demons and rid them from the world. _

Myoga had looked to Kagome as he concluded Totosai's statement, _The well they call the Bone Eater's Well. _

The miko let out a ragged exhale, closing her eyes and feeling the weight of the world come down upon her shoulders.

"He could be right, Sesshomaru."

No taking those words back now.

His golden gaze was on her, analyzing her again.

"Explain how such foolery could possibly be true, Miko."

Where was there to go now? She couldn't make up a story that would make sense even if she had all the time in the world to do so! There was one path she could see in front of her. She would have to tell him the truth. She would have to tell him everything.

She inhaled deeply.

Her story began, unfolding in her words to him and in the pictures of her mind.

Lady Centipede dragging her down the well. Finding InuYasha stuck to that tree. Having the Shikon Jewel ripped out of her. Running from a demon, freeing InuYasha in a moment of desperation. Applying the beads of subjugation around his neck. Saying "sit" for the first time – watching him fall through a bridge to crash into the river below, the Shikon no Tama only inches from his grasp. Breaking the Shikon Jewel and scattering it across the country not a few days later.

Fast forward.

Meeting him, Sesshomaru, for the first time. Fearing him. Watching as he pulled a black pearl from her new comrade's eye. Traveling into a tomb of a Father InuYasha had never known. Pulling Tetsusaiga from its shrine in the middle of skeletons that littered the floor. Nearly being killed by Sesshomaru. Feeling the fear as she watched Sesshomaru take on his truest from. Watching as, with a promise of protection, Tetsusaiga burst to life the first time.

Fast forward.

Jumping back and forth through the well – back and forth, back and forth, back and forth – and wondering if she would ever lead a normal life. Explaining the far off memories of what her home looked like, of what Tokyo looked like. Wondering if she'd ever go back home to smell and see things she barely remembered. To hug her family, to hug her friends and to say her hello with a long forgotten smile.

And then she was spilling every detail she could remember. She expected him to ignore her, call her a liar and a fool. But he just listened to every detail.

Before she realized it, she was done.

There was a silence that hung over them then. Sesshomaru was scrutinizing her again, folding her inside out and back again, looking into her very soul using the powers he had been gifted with as a youkai.

"You speak the truth."

A sigh slipped through her lips. Relief flooded her senses. He believed her.

"I do."

"And so Sou'nga resides in this time, even though it has been destroyed once already."

Even though she knew Sesshomaru probably understood it better than she ever could, she began to explain.

"Totosai and Myoga put the sword in the well. It didn't disappear like it should have, but it remained dormant throughout the years until someone found it and it eventually came to my shrine. Saya's seal broke and it was unleashed. InuYasha ended up bringing it back through the well. But there's still a Sou'nga there, waiting to be found by someone in the future. So InuYasha can bring it back again. So we can get rid of it."

He nodded.

"And now someone has disturbed its resting place. If it does not return to the spot where it should lie, things could turn out differently than they already have."

It was her turn to nod.

He then turned to Jaken, whom still stood scared at his feet.

"You are sure of this, Jaken?"

"Y-Yes, m'lord!"

Sesshomaru was still for a moment. But then he turned, walking in a new direction.

"Then we shall put the sword back in its proper place."

* * *

**A/N: Dude! Plot twist! xD Hope it isn't too confusing. Send me a message if you want me to explain it better.**


	22. Whip

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

A single, slender finger against the stone.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Her silver hair flowed down her body, unrestrained, like the water flowing down the waterfall. Behind her, the furs of her body cushioned her back from the cold stone that made her throne. Before her knelt one of her servants, on his hands and knees, his back bare to her like a table. The pale skin was torn, drops of blood forming where raw red wounds were drawn on his skin. The woman seemed not to notice his pain. The man shifted his weight to make himself more comfortable.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

Her other hand flicked a green strand from her fingers, a hissing poison whip that landed on the man's back. His body shook and trembled with pain; only the gag in his mouth denied him a scream. Usually, she would have enjoyed the sound. Today, it only seemed to bore her.

"Hush," she said, as if he were her crying son, "I told you not to move."

A new stillness came over the man.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

His sweat and tears.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

He was beginning to bore her. She crossed one leg over the other, her silk kimono whispering with the movement. For a brief moment, she wondered if Tetsuo had found InuYasha. It would be unfortunate if he hadn't – it put an annoying knife into her perfect plan. Ironic, she thought, that the bastard [once] hanyou son was the key in her plans. Even more ironic that it was he who would aid her in Sesshomaru's death when it was her very son that had thought InuYasha would fall to his hand.

The tables had turned, yes?

She whipped the servant boy again, this time for her own amusement. He made a gargled sound of pain. She rewarded him with a far more violent snap of her whip.

"Will you never learn?"

Just like her Lord. He had never learned. He had burned alive for his foolish actions, a thoughtless wish to have a child with a mother who might care for it, like he thought was proper. She had told him what she would do with his child.

_You can either kill it now – _her stomach had been as swollen as it would get, the child within her violating her very body, claiming what was hers as its own – _or I will kill it later._

She had tried to smother it at birth. Her Lord had taken it away before she could succeed. Once, she had tried to drown it while her Lord was away. The stubborn little brat had then decided it was a good time to learn how to scream. The nurse had stolen the parasite away, into safer arms. When it was older, perhaps five, she had tried poison in its dinner. Her Lord had punished her dearly for such a bold act. Since days of injuring her own swollen stomach during pregnancy, never rewarded with the blood she wanted between her legs, the little bastard had excelled in survival. Perhaps that was why he had grown so strong – even in his own home, he had been forced to learn how to avoid death and survive.

She cursed his very existence, and whipped her unfortunate servant again. It was no coincidence she had picked this one, lonely man. He had striking features similar to her own son.

The boy had the audacity to hit her, before. He thought it was right to order her around, when _she _had carried his parasitic body in her own for too many months. When _she _had to suffer for _his _sake.

The whip fell harder. Blood began to spill down the man's back. He cried. She whipped again.

"Shut up."

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

This time, it was his blood. It colored the otherwise dull grey floors with splashes of crimson. His continuing tears mixed with the artwork on the ground.

Tetsuo had better find InuYasha. Sou'unga had better find InuYasha. She knew the nature of the sword – once, in another life, it had been her friend. It had stayed awake with her at night, speaking to her, as she was forced to share her Lord's bed. They shared the same hate for the same man. Once, it had even coaxed her to take it in her hand. They had almost succeeded, as one, to kill the man they hated. Sometimes, her wrists would still hurt from where her Lord had broken her bones and bound her to the wall. Then, she had taken satisfaction from the small white scar that had formed from the blade against his neck. Now, she took more satisfaction in the fact that the fool had burned to death.

Again, the whip fell on the man. The sound was a crack through the silence, snapping her out of her thoughts. It seemed she had been harming the man without even realizing it, distracted by her thoughts of the past. His blood had soaked into the silk of her kimono that had been brushing the ground. Immediately, her lips curled in disgust. A perfectly good kimono, ruined by his dirty blood. Her feet, soaked in a servant's blood. How unfortunate.

She lifted her foot and kicked him in the side. His body moved, and her whip fell.

"Is it so hard to take orders?" she demanded, whipping him again, "You're pathetic."

She flicked her wrist and the green whip fell again, the poison dripping from its tip. He cried out.

Sesshomaru's mother decided she would give him something to scream about.

Hours later, his body lay limp on the floor. His back was a mess of wounds, torn skin loose and wounds running together with another. Blood covered him like a blanket, soaking back into his skin and clumping the strands of his silver hair together. From his neck protruded the hilt of a silver knife, buried deep into his spinal cord, blood still flowing from the wound.

Sesshomaru's mother would dream that night of the knife protruding not from the servant's neck. Instead, it would be her son's perfectly pale neck that acted as her weapon's hilt.

* * *

**A/N: I'm back. I'd like to forewarn any of my more sensitive readers: this story is taking a turn. It _is _a darkfic. Things will get darker, some scenes will become very disturbing, and the "happy moments" will be few in the future. If any chapter is home to a very disturbing and/or graphic scene, I'll make a note of it at the beginning of the chapter. Until then, happy reading. Thank you for staying with me.**


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